CONTENTS

RNS NASHVILLE clawed at the fabric of space as her howling drives fought to push the
ship round in a crash turn. Captain Garrett tried to ignore the waves of nausea as her
ship's gravitic compensators struggled to keep pace with the huge gee-force shifts that
would otherwise have reduced her crew to thin red smears.

missiles in the salvo, five achieved sensor lock on the Nashville and bore in for their
attack run. The flaring PD clusters ripped two to fragments, and one of the ships beam
mounts scored a lucky hit on a third, but two slipped through the maelstrom of energy
and closed on their target.

On the tac plot, Garrett watched the red trails indicating the incoming missile spreads
just fired from the FSE warship. She had ordered Nashville into a frantic turn before the
Feds launched, on that sixth sense that starship skippers either learn quickly or die; if she
had waited until her sensors had picked up the missiles inbound, it might well have been
too late.

Confirm two birds through!! shouted the Tac officer, and a moment later the Nashville
bucked and shuddered as the missiles warheads released their violence against her hull.
Alloy and armour rent and split as energy and shrapnel tore through the ships
midsection. Air howled from ripped compartments and fourteen of her crew died
mercifully fast in the sleet of charged particles and hard radiation.

The Fed captain, on the other hand, had expected the Nashville to keep coming right
down the line, trying to close the beam range - although hed tried to hedge his bets by
spreading his missile salvos well apart, Garrett could already see that one flight was
going to run wide of her ship by enough margin that its sensors could never get a lock
on. The other salvo was a different matter....

The bridge gradually stopped shaking, and Garrett could see the red lights peppering the
normal green of her ship systems repeater board. Damage control, status please?

Ma'am, confirm one salvo tracking us on active, point defence is responding! Garretts
Tac officer called as he stared at the plot with a familiar feeling of helplessness - no
human could react as fast as the computer systems, and the fire direction of Nashvilles
point-defence lasers was already out of his hands. The rapid-pulse laser clusters spat
coherent light at the incoming missiles, with the ships smaller beam batteries adding
their own fire - built for antiship combat, they were much less effective than the
dedicated PD systems, but there was no point in holding anything back.
The plot flared with simulations of the huge energies being released outside the ship as
Nashvilles defences sought the threat tearing down on her. The hypervelocity missiles
consumed almost all their drive power in the first seconds of their flight, pouring it out in
a frantic burst of acceleration - but they retained just enough to allow terminal homing
on to their target provided it stayed within the limited range of their sensors. Of the six

The helmeted face of her chief DC officer appeared on one of the small comm repeater
screens: Aye, Ma'am, reading structural damage between frames twenty-six and fortyone, decks C through F, but hull integrity still showing within safety limits. Total
decompression in six compartments, but all other seals and bulkheads seem to be
holding. We've lost one of the secondary mounts on the starboard side, and point-defence
two is offline - may be just the tracking system, I'm still getting a response from the
projector and we may be able to slave it across to PD ones tracker - I'm getting a team
on it now. Looks like we were lucky on vital systems - drives and environmental are
reporting green. Wouldn't like to take another hit like that till we've had the chance to
patch things up though.
Garrett smiled briefly at the pickup, then replied in a grimmer tone. Thanks, Jim. Get me
a casualty count as soon as you can, please. Well do our best to stop the Feds getting
another chance...... Helm, come about to 0100; Gunnery, lock all batteries on that
bastard, and fire as you bear.....

CONTENTS
Introduction and Designers Notes

Mass and Points Cost Table

11

Vector Movement System

Summary of Weapon Systems

12

New Fire Arc Rules

NAC Ship Designs

13

Rolling Ships

NSL Ship Designs

20

Reroll and Damage Rules

FSE Ship Designs

27

Core Systems Rules

ESU Ship Designs

34

Expanded Fighter Rules

Merchant and Support Vessels

42

Modified Weapons Systems

Background Information

43

Defensive and Other Systems

Final Comments and Counters

46

Turn Sequence Summary

New Ship Record Sheet

47

Salvo Missile Systems

Full Thrust Starship Miniatures List

48

Ship Design

CREDITS:
Written by: Jon Tuffley
Ship Art by: Tim Osborne
Graphics, typesetting and layout: Simon & Tim Parnell,
Brackenbury studio@brackenburyprint.co.uk
Playtesters (in no particular order): Allan Goodall, Alex
Stewart, Chris Weuve, Mark Seifert, Dean Gundberg, Dave
Crowhurst, Donald Hosford, Jerry Han, Joachim Heck, Jim Bell,
Jon White, Mark Indy Kochte, Brian Lojeck, Marshall Grover,
Mike Elliott, Aaron Teske, Oerjan Ohlson, Phil Pournelle, Roger
Gerrish, Rob Paul, Stuart Murray, Tom McCarthy, Kevin Walker,
Graham Tasker, Alan Brain, Mike Miserendino.

10

Many grateful thanks to everyone who has helped in the

development of this book, and apologies to anyone we've
missed out!
Special thanks to: Mark Indy Kochte, Mark Seifert, Oerjan
Ohlson, Allan Goodall and Aaron Teske, who checked the ship
designs for us very quickly, at very short notice!
This book is dedicated to the memory of Adam Delafield.
Purchasers of this book are hereby granted permission to
photocopy any required Ship Systems Status Displays and record
sheets for personal use only.
All rules and text in this publication are Copyright
1998 J. M. Tuffley and Ground Zero Games.

Printed by: Brackenbury Associates Limited, Ipswich.

Tel: 01473 287017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe
reproduced in any form or by any means without prior
permission from the publishers.
This publication is sold subject to the following conditions:
1: It shall not by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold, hired out or
otherwise circulated without the publishers prior permission in any form of
binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar
condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
2: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording scanning or otherwise without the prior permission of
the publishers. Published 1998 by Ground Zero Games.

INTRODUCTION & DESIGNERS NOTES

INTRODUCTION
This is the first volume of (at least) two Fleet Books that we intend to publish for
FULL THRUST, to provide players with a resource of pregenerated ship designs that tie
in with the GZG ranges of Starship Miniatures. This book concentrates on the major
HUMAN fleets of the timeframe of the game background; volume 2 will cover the ALIEN
forces (the KraVak, the SaVasku and maybe a few other races as well) and, time and
interest permitting, we may also do a volume 3 that will cover minor nationalities and
miscellaneous ships.
The Full Thrust (Second Edition) rulebook was first published in 1992. Since then, we
have printed and sold well over ten thousand copies, a fair number for what started out
as a small press system! The book you are now reading is the second official
supplement for FT, and the first to be published since More Thrust in 1993; in this
volume we have taken the opportunity to update a few things about the game in the
light of our own and players experiences with the rules over the past six years.
None of the changes are just for changes sake - they are to improve and update the
game, and to correct some of the mistakes and loopholes in the original rules. There is
a completely updated and revised ship design system that removes some of the odd
effects of the old system while being just as easy to use and much more internally
consistent; we also provide a complete alternative movement system for simulating
true vector movement of ships, which it must be stressed is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL
and may be used in place of (or even as well as) the conventional cinematic
movement as you prefer.
Aside from a couple of basic items (for example, the revised Fire Arc rules), the actual
gameplay of Full Thrust will be changed very little by the new rules, though you may
find the new possibilities opened up by the new ship design mechanisms will cause you
to look hard at your tactics!
The most important thing, as we always emphasised in the original Full Thrust, is that
you should feel free to modify and adapt the game to the personal preferences of
yourself and your gaming group - use as much or as little of the new material here as
you wish, and dont let anyone else tell you are doing it wrong!

DESIGNERS NOTES
THE OFFICIAL SHIP DESIGNS
The bulk of this book consists of designs for the ships depicted in the four major
human fleets of the Full Thrust miniatures range, which represent the space navies of
the four main human superpowers of the late 22nd Century in the GZG future history.
Each entry is a representative example of one particular class of ship for a given fleet,
and in most cases is not the only class of vessel that fills that slot in the fleet
inventory. For example, the New Anglian Royal Navy has several different classes of
Destroyers in service aside from the Ticonderoga class shown - some are much older
designs, while others are new construction that will supplement and eventually replace
the current classes. In addition to there being many other classes of ships in service,
the specific classes shown will all have minor variations of weapons or system fits on
individual ships within the class. Players should therefore feel free to modify the listed
designs and/or to create their own new ones while still remaining within the guidelines
of the background provided.
It should be noted that the designs presented in this volume have been configured to
fulfil sensible roles within their fleet structures, and as such are not rules-lawyered or
maximised to exploit the limits of the designs system. If you set out to build a perfect
fleet to beat a given type of opponent in a one-off game, you can probably come up
with designs that are a lot more effective than those listed here, but that is not the
way real navies work - they have to have the flexibility to perform many varied
missions against different potential enemies, and this is what we have tried to reflect
in the designs of the ships in this book.
For those of you who do not use the official background setting, the designs in this
book should still provide an invaluable resource of pregenerated ships. Need a Heavy
Cruiser? Just pick any of the ones listed, modify it (or not) as you desire, and call it
whatever fits your preferred background!
NOTES ON THE NEW SHIP DESIGN SYSTEM, AND COMPARISON WITH FT 2nd EDITION
Using the design system given here, ships will end up with much higher MASS ratings
than the comparable classes in FT2, but with broadly similar offensive and defensive
capabilities. Under the new system of variable hull strengths, the Damage Point values
of some ships will be a little higher than under FT2 (especially when using Average
strength hulls or better), but this will be balanced by the slight increase in offensive
power of most weapons due to the reroll rules and the increased vulnerability of some
ships caused by the new style damage tracks. Overall, we think most of these factors
will balance out and the game play should not be too unlike FT2.

So, why bother with the new design system at all? Well, its main advantage is that it
offers increased flexibility. While an AVERAGE ship (average hull strength, medium
thrust levels and a balanced weapons fit) should be broadly similar to its FT2
counterpart, the new system removes a lot of the artificial limitations of FT2 design
and gives players the opportunity to experiment with decidedly strange design
concepts if they so desire. It is now possible to try out ships with hugely powerful
drives and little else, designs with massive armour and hull strength but very weak
engines, all-offence ships that can dish out huge amounts of damage but have to rely
on other ships to protect them, and so on.
Another very important point is that the new system removes the artificial break
points that plagued the original design system - there is now no arbitrary division of
ships into Escort, Cruiser and Capital sizes, and the construction system works on
sliding scales from the smallest to the largest ship. Players used to the FT2 design
system will notice that they now have to expend mass and points for such things as
Fire Control systems that used to be free under the old rules, but no longer will there
be the odd problems caused by the old mechanisms, whereby the larger ships of one
category were much more effective (and cheaper) than the smaller classes of the next
group up.
For every gain, there will have to be sacrifices made - every design will be a juggling
act between offence, defence and mobility, and there will never be room for the best of
everything. Some may be better than others in certain roles, but the ship that is
perfect in one type of battle against one particular opponent may find itself in deep
trouble against another fleet with a different design strategy.
USING FT 2ND EDITION DESIGNED SHIPS WITH THE NEW RULES
If players wish to make use of existing ships while using the new rules given here, a
rough comparison of force strength can be made using the points values of both old
and new designs. While the old and new systems differ greatly in the cost of individual
ship components and weapons, the overall points costs of ships are similar enough that
an approximate balance between fleets can be made on a one-to-one basis.
It should be noted that forces using both FT2 and new design ships should NOT be
balanced on MASS ratings alone, as equivalent ship classes have a much higher overall
MASS under the new system - normally between two and three times higher.
The most important difference between FT2 and the new designs for actual gameplay
(as opposed to design) purposes is the fire arcs; for this you can choose to either play
the FT2 ships with their original 4-arc system, or make simple conversions to the new
6-arc rules; in the latter case we suggest that systems with one-arc facing in FT2 be
given either one or two new arcs as seems most appropriate to the individual ship
design, 2-arc FT2 weapons have 3 new arcs (180 degrees in both cases), and 3-arc FT2
weapons become 5-arc (i.e.: all but Aft).
Note that mixing the two systems like this will NOT be guaranteed to give an exactly
balanced game, but then nothing will short of 100% identical forces. We dont claim
that there will be no contradictions or rules clashes if you try to mix designs between
the old and new versions of the game, but were sure that most of you are sensible
enough to sort out any that occur in the true spirit of the game.
WEAPON TYPES AND BACKGROUNDS
In MORE THRUST we gave rules for a number of different alternative weapons and
systems, including cloaking fields, the Wave Gun and even some downright silly ones
such as the Reflex Field. The intention behind many of these was to simulate certain
special weapons seen in certain TV series or films, to enable battles from those settings
to be fought under the FT rules. What has happened, however, is that many players
have used ALL the optional systems and weapons in their games. Now, there is nothing
inherently wrong with this EXCEPT that, as some of the weapons were never meant to
fit in with the basic game system, they can do very weird things to the game balance.
The following systems and weapons in particular are ones that were never intended to
fit into the standard FT background: Wave Guns, Nova Cannons*, Reflex Fields,
Cloaking Systems. (* OK, so this was in the basic rules and not in More Thrust, but it
was still intended to be a token ludicrous mega-weapon ......)
We would strongly recommend that these systems are used with discretion, and then
only with the express agreement of all players; they are not recommended for games
where there is any kind of competitive element in play or in fleet design.
Please note that were NOT telling you not to use any or all of these systems if you
wish - just to be aware that their indiscriminate use may throw up anomalies in the
game, and you should be prepared to deal with this as you see fit. It should also be
noted that the use of KraVak technologies (their railguns, scatterguns, armour and
advanced drives, as per the More Thrust rules) on human or other ship designs will also
have a potentially unbalancing effect on the game, and should be used with discretion
if at all. Volume 2 of the Fleet Book series will address the alien weapons and systems
in detail, and provide some modified rules to fix the inconsistencies in the More Thrust
rules for them.

VECTOR MOVEMENT SYSTEM

VECTOR MOVEMENT SYSTEM
This is a completely OPTIONAL alternative movement system, which players may use
instead of the standard FT movement rules described in the basic rulebook. To
differentiate the two systems, the new system presented here is referred to as VECTOR
MOVEMENT, while the standard FT movement rules are termed CINEMATIC MOVEMENT
(because they allow ships to move as they are most often depicted in the SF media,
with much less regard for the laws of physics!)
The Vector movement rules give a much more accurate portrayal of how objects really
manoeuvre in space; they are also a little more complicated than standard FT
movement, though far less so than certain other rules attempts at the same thing!
Whether you choose to use them or not will depend entirely on personal taste and
whether they fit the particular background you are using - if you are recreating a film
or TV series where the ships clearly do NOT move in a true vector fashion, then you will
obviously not want to use these rules.

We have not depicted the Thruster systems as separate icons on the ship diagrams, in
order that any design may be used with either movement system without alteration.
For the purposes of damage, assume that the thrusters are driven by the same power
systems as the main drives - when the main drive takes damage, thruster power is
halved or lost accordingly.
ROTATION
Rotation of a ship around its axis requires much less power than actually changing its
vector. When the thrusters are used to rotate a ship onto a new heading, ONE
manoeuvre point from the thrusters allows the ship to be rotated by any desired
number of facing points. Thus, for the expenditure of one point of thruster power a
ship can be rotated to face in any of the 12 possible facing directions, regardless of
the thrust rating of its drives (the only difference between rotating 30 degrees and
rotating 180 degrees is simply that, once the thrusters have started the ship spinning,
the ship is allowed to rotate for longer before the thrusters burn again to cancel the
spin). Note that a ROTATION changes the ships FACING only, and never its COURSE.

Using the vector movement rules will become very straightforward once you are used to
it, but we suggest taking a short while to read through the rules and examples
carefully, and to plot a few movement examples out with a ship model to get the feel
of the system before starting your first game. Radical course changes become much
more difficult to do under the vector rules, especially at high velocities - remember
that the faster you are moving, the less manoeuvrable your ship will be under the
vector system. It may also take you a while to get used to the fact that the ship is not
always pointing in the direction it is moving!

Note: when thrusters are used to rotate the ship onto a new facing, it is assumed that
several of the ships thrusters are fired in unison to achieve the desired effect - for
example, to rotate the ship to starboard it would fire the PORT FORWARD thrusters and
the STARBOARD REAR ones simultaneously to spin the ship around its centre of mass. It
is assumed that, in the same turn, a compensating burst is applied as the desired new
facing is reached in order to stop the ships rotation - the combined effect of these
operations constitutes one rotation action.

If you are using the official GZG background, or one of your own devising, then you
may feel free to use either system at the agreement of your players, or even to mix the
two to reflect older and newer ships in the timeline or differing levels of technology.
Because the Thrust Ratings of ships are used in similar ways in both systems, any given
ship design may be used with either movement system without modification - the only
thing to be aware of is that ships with low thrust ratings may prove VERY
unmanoeuvrable under the vector system.

THRUSTER PUSHES

It is perfectly possible to mix both vector and cinematic movement in the same game,
to represent ships with different drive systems or technology levels - each ship simply
follows the relevant rules according to its own drive system.
COURSE AND FACING
Under the standard Cinematic FT movement, a ship will always be facing in the same
direction that it is moving; under the VECTOR system the ship may be moving one way
and facing another. The direction in which the ship is actually MOVING is termed its
COURSE, while the direction in which the ship model is actually pointing is called its
FACING. The current COURSE is indicated by a small arrow marker placed next to the
ships stand, and this marker is also used as a reference point during the process of
moving the model. It should be noted that the FACING of a model should always be one
of the 12 clockface points, though the mechanics of the vector movement mean that
the COURSE will usually NOT correspond exactly to a clockface direction.
MAIN DRIVE THRUST
The THRUST RATING of any ship is the amount of thrust that can be produced by its
MAIN DRIVE - the big engine at the back. Each point of thrust applied in a turn will
accelerate the ship by 1 inch (or other movement unit) ALONG THE AXIS OF THE SHIP,
so if a ship that is facing in its direction of travel (i.e. its course and facing are the
same) and currently moving 6" per turn applies 4 points of thrust from its main drive,
it will end up moving at 10" per turn. If the ships facing and course are NOT the same
(i.e.: the model is pointing one way and moving another) then the application of thrust
from the main drive will alter the ships course AND velocity. To DECELERATE using the
main drive (as opposed to using the forward retro thrusters), the ship must be turned
so that it is pointing backwards relative to its current course. When writing orders for
your ship, Main Drive thrust is written as MD followed by the number of thrust points
being applied - so MD4 will move the ship 4" in the direction of its present facing.
If using existing ship designs (whether from this book, from FT2 or elsewhere) then the
thrust level shown in the ships drive icon is the rating used for the main drive.
MANOEUVRING THRUSTERS
In addition to the main drive, all ships have THRUSTERS - small drives positioned in
clusters around the ship, pointing forward, port, starboard etc. (in reality ships would
also of course have up and down orientated thrusters, but as we are not concerned
with 3D movement in FT we can ignore these except for their use in rolling the ship).
The thrusters may be used to push the ship to alter its course, or to rotate the ship
onto a new facing. The power available to the ships thrusters is equal to half the
thrust rating of the main drive - so a ship with a main drive TR of 6 would have 3
manoeuvre points available from its thrusters; unlike the Cinematic movement rules,
thruster use is allowed in addition to applying full available thrust with the main drive
- so that a ship with a Thrust Rating of 4 could apply 2 points of thruster use and still
use all 4 thrust points from its main drive.

ROTATION orders should be written down as TP (Turn Port) or TS (Turn Starboard),

followed by the number of points of heading change - thus TP2 indicates a rotation to
port of 2 clockface points (ie: 60 degrees).

A thruster push is firing a combination of manoeuvre thrusters to alter the course

and/or velocity of the ship, WITHOUT affecting its actual facing (i.e.: the ship ends the
turn with its model pointing the same way it started, although its course may have
changed). Pushes may be made to PORT, STARBOARD or REVERSE (using the forward
retro thrusters to slow the ship down without having to spin it round and use the
main drive). It requires ONE manoeuvre point of thrust applied to displace the ship by
one movement unit; a push of 3 with the port-side thrusters will shift the ship 3" to
starboard (for simplicity of play, this is referred to as a STARBOARD PUSH - to avoid
confusing of orders we always use the direction of the EFFECT rather than the location
of the thrusters being used). Note that a PUSH changes the ships COURSE (and/or
VELOCITY) only, and never its FACING.
PUSH orders should be written as PP (Push to Port), PS (Push to Starboard) or PR (Push
in Reverse), again followed by the number of thrust points applied - so PR3 would be
using 3 manoeuvre points from the retros to push the ship 3 units backwards relative
to its current heading. Pushes may only be applied directly to port, starboard or
rearward relative to the ships facing at that moment.
COMBINING MANOEUVRES
If desired, a ship may combine both ROTATION and PUSH uses of its manoeuvring
thrusters in a single game turn, but no more than ONE of each, provided the TOTAL of
manoeuvre points expended does not exceed the total available. It is quite acceptable
for a ship with (say) 3 manoeuvre points of thruster power available to make a rotation
(using up 1 thruster point), then apply a main drive burn, then use the remaining 2
manoeuvre points for a 2" thruster push to port, starboard or aft as desired. The final
position, course and velocity would be measured after ALL manoeuvres are completed.
ORDER SEQUENCE
The actual sequence in which thruster and main drive burns are applied in a single turn
will make a difference to the final course and velocity of the ship, so it is necessary to
rule on what order things are done in. Each effect is applied to the ship strictly IN THE
ORDER THEY ARE WRITTEN DOWN BY THE PLAYER. If the player writes TP2, MD6 then
the ship will first be moved according to its starting vector (as always), then turned 2
points to port (TP2) and then moved 6" along its new facing (MD6). If, on the other
hand, the order is written MD6, TP2 (thus applying the main drive burn BEFORE
rotating the ship to its new facing) then the result will be VERY different in terms of
the ships final vector and position - plot each one out and youll see what we mean!
COLLISIONS
If there are any objects on the board that are deemed big enough to pose a collision
risk, such as asteroids or very large space installations, such a risk will only occur if the
line between the ships STARTING and FINAL positions intersects with the object. In
effect, it is this line (as shown by the tape or rule when measuring the final velocity of
the ship) that most nearly approximates the true path followed by the ship during
the turn - the position of the ship model at any other time during the movement
sequence is merely for calculation purposes and does NOT indicate that the ship
actually occupies that point at any time. Of course, even doing it this way is an oversimplification of the true mechanics - but we feel it is close enough for game purposes!

VECTOR MOVEMENT SYSTEM

MOVING SHIPS UNDER THE VECTOR SYSTEM
Once the orders are written by all players, all ships are moved simultaneously in
accordance with their starting vectors and any relevant manoeuvre orders. When
moving a particular ship, ALWAYS start by moving it according to its starting vector i.e. move the model in the direction of its present COURSE (as indicated by its course
marker arrow) a distance equal to its current VELOCITY, being very careful to keep the
FACING of the model exactly the same as at the start of the turn; at this stage, LEAVE
THE COURSE MARKER IN ITS STARTING POSITION. Now apply any thrust (main drive
and/or thrusters) indicated in the ships orders, making sure to apply each effect in the
sequence it is written down. Where the model ends up after all thrust has been applied
is its finishing position for that turn; now place the tape measure or rule between the
course marker and the ships final position, and read off the distance - this (rounded to
the nearest whole inch or other movement unit) is the ships final VELOCITY for the
turn, and should be written in the V box on the order sheet ready for the next turn.
Finally, move the course marker up to the stand of the model again, with its arrow
pointing in the direction of the ships new COURSE - i.e.: parallel to the tape-measure.
The ships VECTOR at the start of the next turn will now be in the direction of the
course marker arrow, at the new velocity written down.

6"
6"

VECTOR MOVEMENT EXAMPLES:

i) The ship in Diagram 1 is facing in the same direction it is moving (ie: its COURSE and
FACING are currently the same), and its current velocity is 10. The ship starts the turn
at position A. The player writes movement orders of TP3, MD6. Firstly, the ship is
moved along its present course by 10", to position B - it is then rotated 3 points (90
degrees) to PORT, to position C. Now, it is moved along its new facing by the amount
of its Main Drive burn, ie: 6", to its final position D. Finally, the distance between
starting and finishing positions (A and D) is measured - rounded to the nearest whole
number it will be 12", and this is recorded as the starting velocity for the next turn and the course marker is moved up to the model again parallel to the line between
positions A and D.

Rotate
3 Points

2"

6"

Diagram 2

NEW FIRE ARC RULES

ARCS OF FIRE
The four 90-degree fire arcs originally used in FT are now replaced with SIX arcs, each
of 60 degrees. The new arcs are indicated in Diagram 3, and are designated (clockwise,
from dead ahead) FORE (F), FORE STARBOARD (FS), AFT STARBOARD (AS), AFT (A), AFT
PORT (AP) and FORE PORT (FP). This brings the fire arcs into line with the 12 course
points used in movement, and also makes fire arcs much easier to judge by eye from
the hexagonal or clockface-style bases that most players mount their ships on.
All weapons that are capable of bearing through more than one arc may have this
indicated either by the pointers used in FT2, or by putting a ring of six segments
round the system icon, and blacking-in the segments through which fire is NOT
permitted. Examples of both these methods are also shown in Diagram 3. The old
pointers method may be easier to hand-draw for your own ship designs, though the
segment method is more visually attractive and has been used for the designs in this
book.
Weapons or systems that can only bear through ONE arc have this indicated by the
orientation of the system icon on the ship diagram - ensure it is pointing clearly
towards the relevant arc.

10"

Systems that have no directionality to their icon (eg: PDS) have all-round (6-arc) fire
capabilities.

12"

2
FP

FS
Examples of Beam Batteries
bearing through the three
forward arcs (FP, F, FS)

AP

AS
A

Diagram 1

Diagram 3

OPTIONAL RULE: AFT-ARC FIRE

ii) The ship in Diagram 2 is facing in the same direction it is moving, and its current
velocity is 6. The ship starts the turn at position A. The player writes movement orders
of PS2. Firstly, the ship is moved along its present course by 6", to position B. Now,
the ships side thrusters fire to push it 2" to starboard, to the final position C, without
changing its facing. The distance between starting and finishing positions is measured
- rounded to the nearest whole number it will be 6", and this is recorded as the
starting velocity for the next turn - and the course marker is moved up to the model
again parallel to the line between positions A and C.

The FT (2nd ed.) rules prohibit any weapons fire (except point-defences) through the
aft arc of a ship, and no weapons are mounted to bear through that arc in the FT2 ship
designs. You will note that some of the designs presented under the new system in this
volume DO have weapons bearing directly aft (those weapons mounted in all-round (6
arc) turrets). As an OPTIONAL RULE, players may decide to PERMIT aft-arc fire (by
weapons that are mounted to bear accordingly) on any game turn in which the firing
ship did NOT use any thrust from its main drive engines. Course changes (if using
Cinematic Movement) or Thruster use (if using Vector Movement) are permitted without
affecting fire through any arc, but any acceleration or deceleration applied by the main
drives blocks any outgoing fire through the aft arc in that turn only.

NEW AND MODIFIED RULES

R
ROLLING SHIPS
Although FT makes no attempt to simulate 3-dimensional movement or combat (as
explained in the FT rulebook, we feel that the additional complication far outweighs
the benefits gained), there is one simple rule addition that we are including here: the
ability to roll a ship 180 degrees on its central axis, thus effectively swapping the
port and starboard sides (the ship is upside down relative to the other ships on the
table). This manoeuvre can be very useful when ships start to lose systems due to
damage, as it can allow undamaged weaponry to bear on targets that would otherwise
be on the wrong side of the ship.
To perform a roll, the player simply notes RO in his movement orders for that turn; the
roll expends 1 thrust factor, which comes off the turning allowance - i.e.: a thrust-4
ship, normally capable of 2 points of turn, could only turn 1 point if it also rolled that
move (but it would still be able to use its other two thrust factors to accelerate or
decelerate as normal). The roll then occurs at the start of the ships movement, and a
rolled marker is placed by the model to indicate its inverted condition. Rolling has no
effect on combat EXCEPT that the ships port batteries now bear to starboard, and viceversa. An inverted ship may, of course, roll back upright in any subsequent turn, or
may remain inverted as long as the player wishes.
For simplicity of play, it is suggested that rolled ships should still have their movement
orders written in relation to the actual miniature rather than their theoretical inverted
condition - thus an order written for a Port turn will still turn the model to the left,
even though to the inverted ship this would actually be a starboard turn. Keeping to
this convention should, hopefully, avoid a lot of potential confusion and arguments!
ODD-NUMBERED THRUST FACTORS
It is permitted to design ships with odd-numbered Thrust factors (eg: Thrust-3); such
drives operate just as for even-numbered ones except that to determine the thrust
available for course changes the thrust rating is halved (as normal) but is rounded
DOWN, so that a ship with Thrust-5 is only capable of 2 points of course change. Note,
however, that ships which (through design or through drive damage) have a Thrust
factor of 1 may always change course by 1 point per turn, but may not accelerate or
decelerate at all while doing so.
HULL DAMAGE TRACK
For all classes and sizes of ship, the total number of hull damage boxes (which is equal
to the MASS used for Hull Integrity) is divided into 4 rows to make up the damage
track on the ship diagram. Each row should be of equal length, but if the number of
damage boxes does not exactly divide by four the extra boxes are placed in the upper
rows - so a ship with just 2 damage boxes has one box in each of the two first rows
and nothing in the last two, and a ship with 15 boxes has three rows of 4 boxes and
one of 3.
APPLYING DAMAGE
As the ship takes damage, these boxes are crossed off, one row at a time, from left to
right. At the end any one attack, a target ship that has had the last box in a row
crossed off during that attack must immediately take a Threshold Check (exactly as per
original FT2 rules); the threshold number is 6 for the first row, 5 for the second and 4
for the third. When the last box in the fourth row is crossed off, the ship is effectively
destroyed for game purposes. If a ship suffers enough damage in a single attack to
push it over more than one threshold check, make only one check (for the last row
destroyed) but add 1 to each die roll for each extra threshold point passed in that
attack. [Note that one attack is defined as the ship being fired on by ONE other ship,
regardless of how many or few weapons are fired at it; it also counts as one attack if
the ship is under fire by any number of missile salvoes and/or fighter groups at the
same time.]
REROLLS (PENETRATING DAMAGE)
This is an OPTIONAL rule, but one that we recommend is used - the new design system
results in ships that are somewhat larger and may (depending on chosen hull strength)
have more damage boxes than FT2 standard classes, and the extra damage potential of
the Reroll option goes some way to redressing the balance.
Simply, when firing any weapon system that is capable of penetrating damage (as
specified for each type of system), any roll of SIX inflicts the usual damage AND allows
a reroll - roll an extra die, and apply any further damage that is indicated by the
result. If this reroll is ALSO a six, then apply the damage and roll again. There is no
limit to the number of rerolls you can make if you keep throwing sixes (but if you get
more than three in a row maybe you should go out and buy a lottery ticket this
week...!).
If the target ship has no screens or armour, any damage done by the reroll die is
counted exactly as for normal damage by that weapon type - e.g.: if a beam battery
shot scores a six, then apply two points of damage and reroll - on a reroll score of 1-3
there is no further damage, on a 4 or 5 apply 1 more point, and on a 6 apply two (and
reroll again).

If the target ship has SCREENS active, then the effects of the screen are deducted from
the initial attack dice as usual (if applicable), but NOT from the result of any reroll dice
- the reroll is assumed to have already penetrated the screen, and any further damage
done is applied directly to the ship itself.
Reroll damage is applied to ARMOURED ships in a similar manner - any damage from the
basic die rolls of an attack is applied to armour boxes on the ship, but if a six is rolled
then it knocks out two armour boxes and any damage caused by the REROLL die is
applied directly to the ships ordinary hull damage boxes, irrespective of whether it still
has armour boxes remaining.

CORE SYSTEMS (OPTIONAL RULE)

While weapons, fire control sensors and screen emitters are all surface features on
most ships and are thus very vulnerable to incoming fire, there are certain vital systems
that are usually buried deep within the ships hull; these are the core systems, and
consist of the Command Bridge (which also includes computer systems, avionics etc.),
the Power Core and the Life Support System.
If using the core systems rules, these three systems are grouped together on the ship
systems diagram, with a box drawn round them. Whenever the ship reaches a threshold
point, the systems within the core box are each rolled for as normal, but at +1 to the
current threshold number - thus at the first threshold point, where systems are lost on
rolls of 6 only, the core systems do NOT need to be rolled for (as they would only be
lost on a 7). On the second threshold, where normal systems go down on rolls of 5 or
6, the core systems are only hit on rolls of 6, and so on.
Notes: i) The core systems, and their basic protective box, do NOT need to have MASS
allocated to them during ship design - they are assumed to be part of the essential
structure of all ships. ii) If using Needle Beams, the core systems may NOT be targeted
by these weapons; Needles may only fire at surface features on the ship, such as
weapons, sensor grids, drive units etc.
EFFECTS OF THRESHOLD DAMAGE ON CORE SYSTEMS
COMMAND BRIDGE HIT
If the Command Bridge takes a hit, then a further D6 roll is made immediately - if the
roll is 1 to 5, then the ship is out of control for that number of turns, until command
can be restored through backup links and secondary command systems. If the roll is a
6, then the ship is PERMANENTLY out of control for the duration of the game. While a
ship is out of control, it will continue on its present course and velocity, and may not
fire weapons, launch fighters or take any other offensive action. Passive defences
(screens) are still operational, though active defences (PDS etc.) are not. Once control
is regained (after the number of turns indicated by the die roll), all undamaged systems
come back on line. Damage Control parties may be used at any turn to try and restore
control earlier, using the normal damage control rules.
POWER CORE HIT
If the Power Core takes a hit, it is damaged and may go critical and explode,
destroying the ship. It continues to supply power for the ship, but the safety systems
that control it are damaged or destroyed, and each subsequent turn the player must roll
a die at the start of the turn - on a 5 or 6, the core explodes. Damage Control parties
may be used as normal to try and stabilise the power core - such attempts are made
before the roll for explosion for that turn, and success will bring the core back under
control and negate any further effects (unless the core is then damaged again, when
the process will repeat). Each turn, BEFORE rolling the die, the player may make a
choice - he may abandon ship, or he may dump the core - this avoids the risk of
explosion, but leaves the ship without power for anything but emergency life-support
(from backup batteries) - the ship is intact, but unable to do anything further in this
battle except continue to drift on its present vector. If the player chooses to abandon
ship, the ship continues to drift while still rolling each turn to see if the core explodes
- in this case, however, the needed number for an explosion drops by 1 each turn, as
the core is running out of control with no-one to damp it down; thus it WILL explode
eventually and the ship will be lost. A ship that dumps its core will be no further use
for that battle, but may be salvaged afterwards and its power restored.
LIFE SUPPORT HIT
If the Life Support Systems take a hit, then a further D6 roll is made immediately - the
number rolled indicates that the life support will fail after that number of turns.
Damage control parties may be allocated to try and repair the LSS as for any other
system. If the LSS fails before being repaired, then the crew must immediately abandon
ship or be lost. A ship without LSS become a drifting hulk, though it may of course be
recovered and repaired after the game if it survives.
NOTE:
The Core Systems rules given above are entirely optional; if you do not wish to use
them, simply ignore the systems within the core box on the ship diagram for all
game purposes.

NEW AND MODIFIED RULES

EXPANDED FIGHTER RULES
FIGHTER MOVEMENT
In the original FT basic rules, fighter groups were moved AFTER all ship movement had
been made. This meant that the player could position his fighters easily to attack a
desired enemy ship, which was why we kept the standard fighter movement distance
down to only 12" to stop them becoming TOO powerful. We now strongly suggest that
the optional rule given in MORE THRUST is used as the standard rule, so that all fighter
groups should be moved after the players have written their movement ORDERS for
their ships, but BEFORE the ships are actually moved - if a fighter group then ends up
within 6" of an enemy ship after that ship has been moved, it may attack. This forces
players to try and predict at least roughly where the enemy is going to move, in order
to position their fighters effectively - thus simulating the fact that although fighters
are very fast and highly manoeuvrable (hence the abstract nature of their movement,
without orders or course/velocity recording) they have limited fuel reserves for
extended travel and must therefore try to predict intercept trajectories to get them
close to their intended prey.
Fighter Endurance (also introduced as an optional rule in MT) is also now a
recommended standard rule (provided it fits the background you are using), but the
endurance limit is increased from 3 turns of combat to SIX turns per standard fighter
group. A group will use up 1 Combat Endurance factor each turn it engages in combat,
whether attacking a ship, another fighter group or being attacked itself, and 1 CEF
every time it makes a Secondary Move (see below). Normal movement during the main
fighter movement phase does NOT consume Combat Endurance factors. When all combat
endurance is exhausted, the group may still move normally (though it may make no
secondary moves) but may not make any attacks. There is now no time limit on a group
returning to its carrier after exhausting its CE. A group that is engaged in a dogfight by
an enemy group after exhausting its CE factors may return fire, but only scores kills on
rolls of 6.
Standard fighter groups now have a maximum move distance of 24". Fighter group
movement is performed AFTER both players have written their ship movement orders,
but BEFORE the ships are actually moved.
Fighter movement is performed BEFORE the placing of markers for SMB fire.
Once all ship movement has been made, players have the option of making a
SECONDARY MOVE with any fighter groups they wish, of up to 12" ; as with the basic
move, this can be in any direction and any distance up to the maximum 12", even if
the group moved its full 24" in the primary move phase. Any fighter group that makes
this secondary move loses 1 COMBAT ENDURANCE factor if players are using the
endurance rules. The secondary move may be used to bring a group into contact with a
target that would otherwise have evaded it, or in some cases to get them out of
trouble - but it may NOT be taken if the group has already been engaged in a dogfight
by another group.
[We recommend recording the remaining Combat Endurance and the number of fighters
left in each group with two small D6, in different colours, which maybe placed either
behind or on the stand of the fighter group they relate to; an alternative to this is to
have a simple fighter group roster sheet on a piece of paper, with a box drawn for
each group that contains two rows of six smaller boxes - one row represents the
number of fighters left in the group, and the other the remaining CE factors.]
Example: One of player As standard fighter groups is moved 20" in the main fighter
movement phase, being placed in a position that A hopes will allow it to intercept one
of Bs ships. Following the fighter movement, player B fires an SMB salvo and places its
counter in a position that will threaten one of As ships after it has moved. Both A and B
now move their ships in accordance with their orders. Player A sees that his fighter group
is now out of position to attack its intended target (B having anticipated well and
changed course), but if he takes a secondary move with the group then it could either
follow its original target OR could move to intercept the SMB salvo that is attacking As
ship. A has a free choice as to which option he takes (if any), but if he chooses to move
the fighter group then he must mark off 1 turns worth of Combat Endurance for the
group to represent the additional fuel it has consumed to make the intercept.

If dicing for initiative (which we recommend as the default method if players do not
agree otherwise, particularly in competitive games) then players may add one to their
roll for every ACE they have in action at that time, and subtract one for every TURKEY
group (see MT for Ace and Turkey rules). The lower scorer must move a group first.
Whoever moves first in the main fighter move phase should also move first in the
secondary move phase. Whatever method is used to determine first move, we
recommend that both players should move all their TURKEY groups before any normal
ones, and all normal groups before any that include ACES.
FIGHTER SCREENS
Fighter groups may be assigned as close escorts for larger ships, specifically to ward off
enemy fighter attacks on that ship; when used in this role, the fighter group is said to
be acting as a fighter screen for the ship it is escorting. When assigned as a fighter
screen, the fighter group must remain within 3" of the ship it is escorting at all times if it is moved further away then it has broken off from its escorting duties and no
longer functions in a screening role. A fighter screen (which may be a single group or
several) always moves at the same time as the ship it is screening, rather than being
moved in the normal fighter movement phase. Screening fighters CAN exceed the
normal fighter movement allowance if the ship they are screening is moving faster than
the fighters could normally move. Whenever a ship that is being escorted by a fighter
screen comes under attack from enemy fighters, the attacking group(s) MUST engage
the screening fighters using the DOGFIGHTING rules instead of attacking the ship in
that turn. Each group of screening fighters must be engaged by at least one attacking
fighter group; once this condition has been satisfied then any further uncommitted
attacking groups may fire on the escorted ship. Example: an NAC transport ship is
being escorted by a screen of 3 groups of fighters. Four groups of ESU fighters move to
attack the transport - three of them must pair off against the three groups of
screening fighters and engage them in dogfights, while the fourth is thus free to attack
the ship directly. If the ESU player prefers, he could instead allocate all four groups
against the screening fighters (two onto one, and one each onto the other two) in an
attempt to destroy as many as possible, leaving the transport without fighter cover for
the rest of the game.
Attacking fighter groups that are forced to engage screening fighters may NOT then
attack the ship in the same turn, even if they defeat all the fighter screen; they will
have to try to follow the ship and attack it in the following turn if they wish to
(though if all the screening groups are engaged by other groups, then any excess
attackers may of course attack the ship in that turn while the defenders are occupied).
While they survive, screening fighters are thus very useful for keeping attacks away
from lightly-protected shipping.
MULTIPLE GROUP DOGFIGHTS
There will be cases, especially when fighters are screening larger ships, where multiplegroup dogfight situations (known to fighter pilots as furballs) may occur. In such
combats, all groups engaged in the dogfight may fire only once per turn, but may
choose to attack just one enemy group or to split their kills between two or more
enemy groups. If the player chooses to split his fire, the dice are rolled as normal and
the casualties divided as equally as possible between the relevant groups. The
resolution of the attacks alternates between groups, with the player having initiative
for that turn firing first - all losses are applied immediately, before the other player
may return fire.
INTERCEPTION OF MISSILES BY FIGHTERS
A fighter group may attempt to intercept and engage any missile salvo that is within
6" of it at the end of either the fighters main or secondary movement. Simply move
the group up to the missile counter, and roll one die for each fighter: one missile from
the salvo is destroyed for each 5 or 6 scored by the fighters (scores of 6 allow rerolls).
The missiles cannot actually fight back or target the fighters, but for each missile that
is hit roll 1 die: on a roll of 6 (no reroll) then a fighter is lost by being caught in the
blast of the destroyed missile (trying to take out missiles is a tricky and dangerous job
at high speeds and very close quarters).

MODIFIED WEAPONS SYSTEMS

FIGHTER SPEED AND ENDURANCE OPTIONS

FAST FIGHTERS may move up to 36" in their main movement, and up to 12" (as
standard fighters) in the secondary movement. LONG RANGE FIGHTERS move as
Standard types, but have their Combat Endurance increased to NINE rather than 6.
[Note that these and some other rules refer to the specialised fighter variants detailed in
the MORE THRUST supplement book.]
FIGHTER MOVE SEQUENCE
Players alternate in moving one fighter group each until all have been moved (if
desired); players should agree before the game whether they will dice for initiative
each turn to see who moves a group first, whether they will take turns in moving first,
or whether the player with the most groups in play will always move first.

NEW BEAM BATTERY DESIGNATIONS

For the new design system, we have reclassified the standard FT beam batteries with
NUMERICAL designations, rather than the old A, B and C classes. The C battery
becomes a Class 1, the B a Class 2 and the A a Class 3; this new designation allows
us to extend the system to Class 4, 5 and even larger, which effectively replace the
AA batteries covered in More Thrust.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
There is NO change to the way the beam batteries function in the game all that has changed is the designation.

NEW AND MODIFIED RULES

R
This change allows the range and dice of each battery to be directly related to the
Class number, thus:
Battery class number indicates the number of dice rolled per shot, minus one die for
every full 12" in range to target.
E.g. a Class 3 battery rolls 3 dice at less than 12", 2 at 12" - 24" and 1 only at
24" - 36". At ranges greater than 36" the weapon is out of range.
The most common weapon batteries are Class 1 (used as secondary/defensive armament
in most cases, or as a limited offensive system on very small ships), Class 2 (primary
systems for small/medium ships, and secondary weapons on large classes) and Class 3
(the most common primary weapon system for capital ships); Class 4 batteries are
occasionally found on very large vessels, and a few forces have experimented with Class
5 and above (especially for fixed installations and stations) - however the huge size
and power requirements for these large systems preclude their general use.
Basic MASS requirements of a given battery starts at 1 for a class 1, and DOUBLES for
each class increase - so a class 2 takes 2 MASS, a class 3 takes 4 MASS, a class 4 takes
8 MASS and so on. At 16 MASS for a class 5 and 32 for a class 6, these larger systems
rapidly become non-cost-effective for most purposes.
Class 1 batteries are automatically capable of all-round (6 arc) fire at their basic MASS
cost of 1. Class 2 batteries at their base MASS of 2 are capable of 180 degree traverse,
firing through any 3 adjacent arcs, but may be given full-traverse (6 arc) turrets for an
additional 50% MASS cost (i.e.: 3 MASS rather than 2). Class 3 batteries and above
have only 1 arc fire (60 degrees) at their base MASS cost; adding additional arcs of fire
requires 25% of the base MASS of the battery per additional arc covered - so a Class 3
covering 3 arcs would require 4 + 1 +1 = 6 MASS, while a Class 4 with the same traverse
would need 8 + 2 + 2 = 12 MASS.
The standard icon for a beam battery remain as before, i.e.: a circle with the battery
class (now a number rather than a letter) inside it. Arcs through which the battery can
bear are indicated either by the pointers used in FT2, or by a six-segmented circle
around the icon.
Beam battery hits and damage remain exactly as per the original FT rules, but may be
augmented by the REROLL rule if you are using this option.
CLASS-1 BEAM BATTERIES AS POINT-DEFENCE
Instead of firing in an offensive role, Class-1 beam systems may act as secondary pointdefence systems against both fighters or missiles; in this role they fire as for a PDS,
but rolls of 1-4 are misses, while 5 or 6 each kill ONE missile or fighter; a 6 allows a
reroll as usual. If used in the PD role, a Class-1 battery may NOT fire offensively in the
same turn. ONLY Class-1 beams are usable in this way - larger beam batteries are not
capable of the fast response times necessary for the role. Class-1 beam batteries may
NOT be used in an Area-defence role, even if an ADFC is available.
ENHANCED PULSE TORPEDOES
In the light of player feedback and experience over the years that FT has been in use,
we have decided to enhance the capabilities of a couple of weapon systems from the
original rulebook to make them a little more cost-effective in game terms. The Pulse
Torpedo tube is one weapon to get this upgrade - its maximum range is increased to
30", and its range bands and associated to-hit scores are now as follows:
At 0-6" a hit is scored on 2+, at 6-12" on 3+ , at 12-18" on 4+, at 18-24" on 5+ and at
24-30" on 6 only. Screens do not affect damage.
Damage per hit is still 1D6, and NO reroll is applied to scores of 6. If the target is
ARMOURED, then half the damage scored (rounded UP) is taken on the armour, and the
remainder applied directly to the HULL boxes.
The basic mounting for a Pulse Torp tube still only fires through 1 arc (though this can
be ANY one arc, chosen at the time of ship design), but the tube may be mounted to
traverse through up to THREE arcs at the expenditure of a further MASS per extra arc.
All references to Pulse Torps in the ship designs in this book are of this new version,
which replaces the original type.
ENHANCED NEEDLE BEAMS
The much-underused FT Needle Beam is the other weapon to get an upgrade here; its
maximum range is increased from 9" to 12", and it now has the potential to do at least
a small amount of hull damage whether or not it hits its intended target system. As in
the original rules, the firer must nominate which system on the target ship he is firing
at, and roll 1 die. On score of 6, the targeted system is knocked-out and 1 DP is
applied to HULL (the weapon ignores both SCREENS and ARMOUR). On score of 5, the
target system is unaffected but 1 DP is still inflicted on hull. Rolls of 1-4 are no effect.
The Needle Beam is still only a one-arc weapon, though it may be mounted to fire
through any one arc at the time of design.

DEFENSIVE AND OTHER SYSTEMS

POINT DEFENCE SYSTEMS
Under the revised rules, we have done away with separate systems for Point and Area
defence weapons; we now have just one standard system, the PDS (POINT DEFENCE
SYSTEM), which can if desired be linked to an AREA-DEFENCE FIRE CONTROL system to
allow it to fire in the role of the old ADAF system.
Each Point Defence System (PDS) on a ship may fire once per turn, either as an antifighter or anti-missile defence weapon. In either case, roll 1 D6 per PDS: scores of 1-3
have no effect, 4 and 5 each kill ONE missile or fighter, while a 6 kills two and allows a
reroll (same results apply to rerolled scores). All PDS batteries on a ship must have
targets allocated to them BEFORE any of the effects are rolled for, and wasted shots
may NOT be reallocated to other targets (e.g.: if two PDS are allocated against a single
missile salvo, but the missile targeting roll only gives two missiles on target, if the 2
PDS then get hits on three missiles the third kill is wasted - it cannot be reallocated
against a different salvo).
AREA-DEFENCE FIRE CONTROL (ADFC)
An ADFC is an enhanced antifighter/antimissile Fire Control system that allows a ship to
protect other nearby ships with fire from its own PDS. One ADFC allows the ships PDS
(any number of them) to fire at any combination of threats (Fighters, Salvo Missiles,
etc) that are directly attacking one other ship that is within 6" of the ADFC-carrying
ship. Any PDS used in this mode may not fire in other modes in the same turn. PDS used
in AD mode roll dice and score kills exactly as normal PDS fire. An ADFC functions ONLY
as an enhanced PDS fire-director link, and may NOT be used as a normal Fire Control.
Note that this system is a replacement for the original ADAF installation used in the FT2
rulebook, and apart from the rules above it functions in the same way and with the same
limitations.
HULL ARMOUR
Armour may be added to the ship in the form of additional damage boxes that absorb
hits before the hull structure begins to take damage. Armour consumes 1 MASS per box
of protection, so if you choose to allocate 10 MASS to armour you will get 10 armour
boxes on your ship chart in addition to the normal hull damage boxes, and will be able
to absorb a total of 10 damage points with the armour before taking any damage to the
actual ship structure; once the armour is all gone you will be taking damage to the hull
in the normal way. Note that some or all of the damage from certain weapons, and
damage caused by REROLLS, is classed as penetrating damage - this bypasses armour
boxes and affects hull boxes directly, even if there are intact armour boxes left.
Armour boxes are indicated on the ship diagram as a row of CIRCLES to differentiate
them from the square boxes of the main damage track, and are placed above the top
row of hull damage boxes. There is NO threshold roll made at the end of the row of
armour boxes, but any further damage is applied to the first row of hull boxes.
SCREENS
Energy screens, which protect against beam weapons fire and some other kinds of
damage, require 5% of the ships MASS for a level-1 Screen system, and 10% for a
level-2 Screen, but with MINIMUM requirements of 3 MASS for level-1 and 6 MASS for
level-2 screens; thus any ship up to MASS 60 requires 3 MASS spare to install a level-1
screen system, while larger ships require 5% of their total MASS. Apart from any
limitations described in the rules for specific weapon systems, screens work exactly as
their counterparts in the original FT rules. IMPORTANT NOTE: THERE ARE NO LEVEL-3
SCREENS UNDER THE NEW DESIGN SYSTEM - additional screen generators above two may
be purchased and installed if desired (at 5% of ship MASS each), but will NOT be of use
except as back-ups to bring online if one of the main screens is lost through damage.
FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS
Fire Control Systems (FCS) operate under exactly the same rules as the original FT rules,
the only difference being that you must now buy them during the ship design
procedure; each FCS requires 1 MASS. There is no limit to the number of firecons that
may be installed on a ship if the MASS is available.
DAMAGE CONTROL PARTIES
The number of Damage Control Parties a ship has is proportional to its crew size, which
is in turn a function of ship mass. This assumes that a certain percentage of the crew is
allocated to form damage control teams during combat situations. Military ships have
one Crew Factor for every 20 MASS or part thereof, and one DCP per Crew Factor. Thus a
MASS 1-20 ship has one CF and hence 1 DCP, a MASS 21-40 ship 2 CFs and 2 DCPs, a
MASS 81-100 ship 5 CFs and 5 DCPs etc.
For Merchant and Civilian vessels, which usually have much smaller crews than
warships, there will be one CF per 50 MASS (or part thereof) of ship size. How many
crewmen a single CF represents is entirely up to the kind of background you are using,
but in the official one we assume that one CF represents up to about 20 personnel.

NEW AND MODIFIED RULES

A single DCP might therefore be four or five crewmen, and usually includes medical
personnel to assist crew casualties as well as engineers to patch up equipment.
For ships with multiple DCPs, more than one may be allocated to a single repair job at
one time; one DCP on its own will manage to bring a system back on-line on a roll of 6,
and each additional DCP on the same job reduces this needed number by 1. The
maximum limit of DCPs on a single job is THREE, so that the highest chance of
repairing a system is 50% (4+ on a D6) if three teams are allocated to it. Note that ALL
teams put on one system in a single turn make just the ONE roll.

TUGS, which are designed to tow other ships through Jump by extending their
Jumpfield around them, require much larger than normal FTL drives; they need a drive
equal to 10% of their MASS just to provide their own Jump capability, plus additional
drive MASS equal to 20% of the total MASS of ships they can tow. Thus to tow a ship of
(say) MASS 100, the tug would need spare Jump drive capacity of MASS 20; if the tug
itself was a MASS 60 ship, it would need its own MASS 6 FTL drive plus the additional
20 - so it would have to devote a total of 26 MASS to its Jump drive package.

Example: a MASS 90 ship, with 5 CF and thus 5 DCPs available, is trying to repair
systems lost at a threshold check. The player decides to combine 3 DCPs (the maximum
allowed on one job) to try and get a FireCon back on-line, and use the other two to
attempt to fix a damaged weapon system. The FireCon will be fixed if the player can
roll 4+, and the weapon on a 5+.

TURN SEQUENCE
This is a summary of the full game turn sequence that should be followed if
players are using all the options and new rules listed in this volume.

CREW CASUALTIES

1) WRITE ORDERS FOR ALL SHIPS

For simplicity, it is assumed that crew casualties run proportional to the amount of hull
damage suffered by the ship; as damage is taken and crew casualties are suffered, CFs
are lost and the available DCPs are reduced accordingly. To record this on the Ship
Diagram, dots are placed in certain boxes on the Damage Track to denote the points at
which Crew Factors are lost; a ships current CF (and thus its current number of DCPs) is
the number of dots still remaining in non-destroyed boxes on the damage track.

2) ROLL FOR INITIATIVE

Both/all players roll a D6 each - highest roll has initiative for this turn.
3) MOVE FIGHTER GROUPS
Both players alternate in moving one fighter group each until all fighter
groups in play have been moved (if desired); player who LOST initiative
roll moves first. Fighter groups being launched this turn must be moved
before those already in flight.
Any fighter groups currently allocated to screening ships are NOT moved
in this phase .

All the designs given in this book already have the CF dots marked in their damage
tracks, but if you are designing a new ship type from scratch then you will need to
distribute the CFs correctly through the damage track; to do this, divide the number of
Hull Boxes the ship has by the number of Crew Factors. Round the result UP if it is not
a whole number, then count along the damage track until you reach the number and
place the first dot there. Count the same number again and place the second dot, and
so on. When you reach the end of the damage track, put the last dot in the last box - it
is assumed that the last of the crew will be killed when the ship is finally destroyed, if
they havent abandoned ship by then!

4) LAUNCH SALVO MISSILES

Both players alternate in announcing and firing missile salvoes from any
missile-armed ships; play alternates BY SHIP, not by single salvo. Player
who LOST initiative roll launches first. A missile salvo marker is placed at
the point of aim of each salvo.
5) MOVE SHIPS
Both players simultaneously move their ships, strictly in accordance with
orders written in phase 1.
Fighter groups currently acting as fighter screens are moved at the same
time as the ship they are screening, and must remain within the
screening distance of the ship.

Example: The MASS 90 ship above, with 5 CFs, has an Average hull integrity and thus has
27 Hull Boxes (30% of 90), arranged as 7/7/7/6. Dividing 27 by 5 gives us 5.4, which is
rounded up to 6 for this purpose. The first CF dot will be placed in the sixth box of the
damage track, the second in the twelfth box (i.e.: the fifth box of the second row), the
third dot in the 18th box and the fourth in the 24th box; the fifth and final dot is placed
in the last box on the damage track (the 27th). Each time the ship takes six points of
cumulative damage, it will lose another CF and thus another DCP.

6) ALLOCATE MISSILE AND FIGHTER ATTACKS

All Missile Salvoes and Fighter Groups that are within the specified attack
ranges of suitable targets (and wish to attack, in the case of fighters) are
moved into attack positions (counters and/or fighter models are moved
close to intended target model, so it is clear exactly what they are
attacking). Fighter groups may, if desired, make a secondary move in this
phase by expending a Combat Endurance factor.

CARGO HOLDS AND PASSENGER ACCOMMODATIONS

Mass devoted to cargo or passenger space costs no additional points during the ship
costing procedure, though of course the actual hull that encloses them is paid for in
the normal way. Each Mass factor used provides one factor of Hold space (H) or
Passenger space (P). The total amount of cargo or passenger space available on the
ship is divided into four separate groups, in much the same way as the ships hull
damage boxes are divided into the four lines of the damage track - if the number does
not divide evenly by four then the first holds or passenger areas are the larger ones.

7) POINT DEFENCE FIRE

Any ship under missile and/or fighter attack allocates its defences
against attacking elements, then rolls for effects. Fighter vs. fighter
actions (dogfights), attempted fighter missile interceptions and
screening actions by fighters are resolved BEFORE actual Point Defence
fire is allocated to surviving targets. Note that ships equipped with AreaDefence Firecon systems may use their point-defence batteries to help
defend other nearby ships in this phase, but each PDS may only be used
ONCE in the turn - if it is used in support of another vessel, it is NOT
available to defend the ship carrying it as well. Fighter groups defending
against missile attacks fire in this phase also.

Example: If a freighter has 50 MASS of cargo hold space, this would be divided into two
holds of MASS 13 and two of MASS 12.
One of the holds or passenger areas is automatically lost each time the ships
cumulative damage reaches a threshold point, so in effect a ship loses approximately
25% of its cargo or passengers each time it suffers approximately 25% damage. When a
hold or passenger space box is crossed off, any cargo stored in it is assumed lost and
any non-evacuated passengers in that area are killed.
The holds and passenger spaces are arranged on the ship diagram as a row of four
boxes, containing an H or P identifier as appropriate and a number that represents
the actual capacity of the space. The larger spaces are placed first (to the left), and are
the first to be crossed off as damage is taken.

8) MISSILE AND FIGHTER ATTACKS

All missile salvoes and/or fighter groups that penetrate defences in
phase 7 now have their attacks resolved; damage resulting from these
attacks is applied immediately, including threshold damage resolution if
applicable.

Note that specialist areas on other ships may be represented in the same way as cargo
and passenger space using exactly the same rules - for survey ships space devoted to
scientific staff and lab facilities can be represented by boxes marked S, and naval
troop carriers will have T boxes to represent their troop accommodations.

9) SHIPS FIRE
Starting with the player who WON the initiative roll in phase 2, each
player alternates in firing any/all weapon systems on ONE ship at one or
more targets subject to available fire control. Damage caused is applied
immediately, and threshold damage checks are made where applicable as
soon as all weapons fired by one ship at that one target have been used.

TUGS AND TENDERS:

Under the new construction system, any ship can be made into a TENDER by having
internal bay space allocated to carry other ships (whether the carried craft are FTLcapable or not), at the same rate as for carrying fighters and other small craft - ie:
every 1.5 MASS used for hangar bay space provides capacity for 1 MASS of carried
ship(s). Note that this allows for support and launching facilities, and is thus different
from plain cargo space. Thus a ship with 30 MASS devoted to bay space could carry a
MASS 20 ship (or 2 x MASS 10 ships, etc.). The points cost of such space is the same as
for other hangar facilities, ie: 3 x the total MASS used.

10) TURN END

Players confirm that all actions for the turn have been completed as
necessary. Any untargetted missile counters are removed from play.
The next turn may now commence.

SALVO MISSILE SYSTEMS

SALVO MISSILE SYSTEMS
The Salvo Missile System is the only completely new weapon introduced in this book it is either a set of launch tubes or external racks that fire groups of six relatively small
anti-ship missiles, each group being termed a salvo. The missiles are only one-turn
duration (unlike the heavier missiles in the More Thrust rules). Each SM system may fire
one missile salvo each turn. There are two types of missile salvo available - standard
SMs and Enhanced-Range (ER) SMs. Both types work in the same way, but the ER
missiles have (as their name implies) a greater range than the standard types, and cost
proportionally more. Missile fire occurs in the same phase as FIGHTER GROUP
MOVEMENT; that is, AFTER orders are written but BEFORE ships are moved. The firing
player announces that he is firing a missile salvo, and places a salvo counter at his
intended point of aim - this may be anywhere up to a maximum range of 24" from the
firing ship (or 36" for an Enhanced-Range (ER) missile salvo, but must be within the
boundaries of the fire arcs through which the SM system may bear. The marker is left in
place while all ships are moved; if at the END of movement there is an enemy ship
within 6" of the marker (in any direction) then the missiles will attack it; if there is
more than one potential enemy target within 6", then the salvo will go for the CLOSER
of them. Move the missile salvo marker next to target ship and apply
countermeasures/defences before resolving missile hits. Note that if there is no valid
target within 6" at the end of movement, the salvo is wasted and the counter removed
from play.
[SPECIAL NOTE: if you choose to use the VECTOR MOVEMENT system given in this book
instead of the standard FT movement rules, then we strongly suggest reducing the
attack radius of Salvo Missiles from 6" to 3" - this will prevent the missiles becoming too
accurate against the more predictable manoeuvre envelope of a vector-movement ship. If
a particular scenario calls for the mixing of vector and cinematic movement ships, then
allow missiles to attack if within 6" of a cinematic-drive ship but only within 3" of a
vector-drive ship - if you want some PSB to justify this, then assume that the gravdrive (cinematic movement) ships have a higher drive signature for the missiles to home
on than the reaction drives of the vector-movement ships.]
When resolving SM system fire, the target player must first decide what defences he is
allocating against each missile salvo; after he has announced this the attacking player
rolls a D6 for each salvo marker attacking - result is the number of missiles in the salvo
that are actually on target. The target player then resolves defensive fire as follows:
For each Point-Defence System (PDS) that is allocated to anti-missile defence roll a D6
- rolls of 4 and 5 each stop ONE missile, 6 stops TWO and allows a reroll.
For each Class-1 Beam Battery or screening fighter that is allocated to anti-missile
defence roll a D6 - rolls of 5 or 6 stop ONE missile (reroll on 6); 1-4 rolls have no
effect. (Note that this is the roll PER FIGHTER in screening groups - so a full-strength
group will roll 6 dice, killing a missile on each 5 or 6 scored.)
After subtracting any missiles that are intercepted from the score that the attacker
rolled, any positive number is the number of missiles that actually get through the
defences AND hit the target (yes, if there are no defences at all then at least ONE
missile will always get through!).
For EACH missile of the salvo that reaches the target ship, roll 1 D6 - the number rolled
is the number of damage points inflicted, and rolls of 6 score 6 but do NOT get a reroll.
Screen systems do NOT reduce missile damage. If the target is protected by ARMOUR,
then HALF of the total damage (rounded up) done by the salvo is taken on the armour,
and the remainder on the hull even if there are still armour boxes left at that point.
Missiles that get through the defences ARE deadly, so try and stop them if you can!!
Example: two missile salvoes are fired at a single target ship. The ship has the following
systems that can defend it against missile fire - one point-defence battery (PDS) and
two Class-1 beam batteries that can function in a defensive role. Before he knows exactly
how many missiles will actually strike home, the ships captain has to decide how he will
allocate his defences - he chooses to use the PDS alone against one incoming salvo, and
the 2 Class-1 batteries to combine fire against the second salvo. The attacking player now
rolls for each of his missile salvoes; for the first he scores a miserable 2, but gets luckier
with the second and rolls 5. The first salvo has only two missiles on target, and the
defending player rolls his PDS die and gets a 6, thus shooting them both down (he would
be allowed a reroll for the six, but there is no point as both target missiles are already
hit). For the second salvo, with five missiles incoming, the defender gets to roll 2 dice for
his 2 Class-1 batts, and gets a 4 and a 6 - the 6 allows him a reroll, but he only gets a 2
with it. So, he has hit only ONE incoming missile. The end result is that four missiles of
the second salvo get past all the defences, and deliver their warheads in a blaze of energy
- a D6 is rolled for each of them, scoring 3, 1, 3 and a lucky 6; missile hits dont reroll
6s, so this gives a grand total of 3+1+3+6 = 13 damage points to the target ship enough to cripple a smaller warship and cause some serious harm to even a large one. If
the ship has seven boxes or more of ARMOUR, half of the total missile damage (rounded
up), ie: 7 points, will be taken on the armour and the remaining 6 on the hull boxes.

externally carried one-salvo launch racks (termed Salvo Missile Racks, or SMR).
If SMLs are fitted to a ship, the launcher itself takes 3 MASS while each salvo load
carried in the internal magazines takes up 2 MASS for standard missiles and 3 MASS for
enhanced-range types. An external SMR takes 4 MASS for the complete rack including a
standard missile salvo, or 5 MASS for a rack with an ER salvo.
One SML may fire one salvo per turn provided ammunition is left in the magazines; one
SMR may fire its salvo load at any time, but is then empty until replenished from a
base or fleet auxiliary. SMRs provide the cheapest maximum throw weight, since
every missile on the ship may be fired at the same time if desired; for extended
operations, however, one or two conventional launchers backed up by a good magazine
capacity is the most flexible and cost-effective solution.
In general, SMRs tend to be fitted to smaller craft where the saving in mass is critical
(and the ship may well not survive long enough to fire more than one or two salvoes
anyway!), while SMLs and magazines are used more on larger classes which need
sustained fire capability.
Examples: Fitting one SMR (assuming standard missiles) takes 4 MASS, as opposed to the
5 MASS needed for an SML with the same one salvo; however, one SML with a 2-salvo
magazine takes only 7 MASS against the 8 needed for a pair of SMRs - though the ship
with the single SML and the magazine can only fire one salvo per turn, while the twinSMR ship can fire both at once.
As the weapon load increases, the difference becomes more significant still - if you
had 40 MASS available on a very large warship you could, if desired, fit 10 SMRs and be
able to deliver all ten salvoes simultaneously, but the same 40 MASS would allow you
to fit (say) four SML tubes and a 14-salvo magazine to feed them.
MAGAZINE CAPACITIES
Missile Salvoes for SMLs take up Magazine Capacity at the rate of 2 MASS per standard
salvo, and 3 per enhanced-range salvo. The MASS allocated to magazine space during a
ships design stage may be broken down into separate magazines at the designers
discretion, but with the following important limitation: any one Launcher system may
only be fed from ONE magazine, though a single magazine may feed more than one
launcher. Thus if a ship has 2 SMLs and 8 MASS of magazine space, the designer may
decide to fit just a single 8-space magazine feeding both launchers, or could give each
launcher its own 4-space magazine instead. The disadvantage of the single magazine is
that all the SM capability could be lost with one bad threshold roll (as one magazine is
rolled for as a single system, regardless of its capacity or the number of salvo loads in
it); on the other hand, with two smaller magazines the player does not have to option
to feed missiles to either launcher - if one launcher is lost while it still has missiles in
its dedicated magazine, those missiles are useless; they cannot be fired by another
undamaged launcher that was not originally fed from that magazine.
The intended type of loadout is another factor to consider when installing missile
magazines - in the example above, the ship with a single MASS 8 magazine could
choose its loadout as 4 x standard salvoes or 1 x standard and 2 x ER salvoes (a 2 x
standard and 1 x ER loadout is also allowed, but wastes 1 space in the magazine). If
the same ship had 2 x MASS 4 magazines, however, carrying any ER salvoes would be
much less efficient - the spare space in each magazine would be wasted.
The SM Magazine icon is a box linked by lines to the SM Launcher(s) it feeds; the
number of salvoes carried in the magazine is indicated by small arrowhead icons within
the box, which are crossed off as they are fired. For a STANDARD SM salvo leave the
arrowhead white, and for an ER salvo shade it in black. SM Launchers have a black
arrowhead in the actual launcher icon, but this has no bearing on the load carried in
the magazine - SM RACKS, on the other hand, have either a white or black icon
according to the load carried.
[Note that the ship designs in this book all assume standard salvo loads in the
magazines - if you wish to load a ship with ER salvoes then shade in the required number
of salvo icons and delete any unwanted ones - eg: if a ship design shows 3 standard salvo
icons in a MASS 6 magazine, and you wish to use 2 ER salvoes instead, shade two icons
black and cross off the third one.]

SMR with standard

salvo missile load

SALVO MISSILE MOUNTINGS AND MAGAZINES:

SML with 3 x
standard salvoes in
capacity 6 magazine

Salvo Missile systems come in two types: reloadable launching tubes (denoted Salvo
Missile Launchers, or SML) which are fed from internal missile magazines, and

SML with 2 x ER
salvoes in capacity
6 magazine

SMR with ER
salvo missile load

SHIP DESIGN
NEW SHIP DESIGN SYSTEM
The new design system presented here is intended to completely replace the original
system given in Chapter 7 of the Full Thrust (2nd edition) rulebook. DO NOT mix parts
of the two systems when designing a ship, as the results will be very odd!

strengthening etc. It is entirely separate from the ARMOUR used (if any), which is
external protection - it is perfectly possible to have a ship with a FRAGILE hull
structure but lots of armour around it; in such a case the ship will be fine UNTIL some
damage manages to get through the armour, in which case the hull integrity will fail
very quickly!

The new system requires just a little more calculation than the old one, as some ship
systems now take up percentages of the total ship mass, rather than being fixed values
- however it is still a very quick and simple mechanism, and once used to it you should
be able to generate new ship designs with as much ease as under the original system.

FRAGILE hull: 10% of total MASS Hull Boxes = 10% of MASS

STRONG hull:

40% of total MASS Hull Boxes = 40% of MASS

TOTAL HULL MASS RATING

SUPER hull:

50% of total MASS Hull Boxes = 50% of MASS

The TOTAL MASS of a given hull is a representation of the CAPACITY of that hull for
outfitting it with drives, weapons, defensive systems etc. This total MASS figure is used
to refer to the size of the ship - e.g.: a size 25 ship could be fitted with a maximum of
25 MASS of systems. Note that the MASS ratings of systems are abstract figures used to
indicate the required volume, power requirements etc. rather than an exact measure of
the bulk or weight of a given system - if you assume that (in a given background) one
MASS is equivalent to around 100 tonnes, then a MASS 1 system (such as a Point
Defence installation) will not necessarily weigh in at 100 tonnes; it will, however,
require 100 tonnes (1 MASS) of hull capacity to mount the system and its
infrastructure, control and power requirements, sensors, crew etc. etc.

Examples:

WEAK hull:

20% of total MASS Hull Boxes = 20% of MASS

AVERAGE hull: 30% of total MASS Hull Boxes = 30% of MASS

MASS 60 ship:
FRAGILE hull:

6 MASS

Hull Boxes = 6

WEAK hull:

12 MASS

Hull Boxes = 12

(2/2/1/1)
(3/3/3/3)

AVERAGE hull:

18 MASS

Hull Boxes = 18

(5/5/4/4)

STRONG hull:

24 MASS

Hull Boxes = 24

(6/6/6/6)

SUPER hull:

30 MASS

Hull Boxes = 30

(8/8/7/7)

SHIP DESIGN PROCEDURE

CHOOSING OVERALL SHIP MASS

Because the sizes of major items like Hull Integrity and Drives are calculated as
percentages of the overall ship MASS, choosing a hull size that is not an exact multiple
of 10 will mean that some system masses may not be whole numbers; some of these
will be rounded UP and some DOWN.

STEP 1:
Decide on the overall size of your ship - the total MASS rating.

In general terms, decimals of .49 and less should be rounded DOWN, while those of .5
or higher should round UP. The only specific exception to this rule is in the case of
Thrust Factors, as explained below.

STEP 2:
Choose the HULL INTEGRITY level for the ship, from the following five options:

For example, if you are building a MASS 64 ship then the 10% required for the FTL drive
will be 6.4, which will round down to 6. If the same ships Main Drive is thrust-4,
however, this will take 20% = 12.8, which will round UP to 13 MASS. In general, most
designs will come out about even in the rounding of factors; occasionally a ship may
end up fractionally better or worse off that another of broadly similar design, but that
shouldnt be a serious problem - besides, if we dont give the maximisers and number
crunchers SOMETHING to work at theyll all get bored!
IMPORTANT: Note that NO single system can ever be rounded down to MASS 0. A very tiny
ship of (say) MASS 4 will still have to pay 1 MASS for an FTL drive (even though 10% for
it is only 0.4). Thus the smallest possible FTL-drive ship is actually a MASS 3 scout or
courier boat, that will use 1 MASS for Hull Integrity (an Average hull at 30%), 1 MASS
for FTL drive (the smallest unit available) and 1 MASS for Main Drive (for which it could
get thrust-6). The boat would be unarmed, and have just 1 damage box.
The smallest usable combat ship will be around 5 or 6 MASS, which will get you a tiny
armed scout or light corvette with a single fire control and probably only a single small
weapon system, crewed by a handful of VERY brave spacers.....
ATMOSPHERIC STREAMLINING
The provision of a streamlined hull to permit in-atmospheric operations consumes some
of a ships available MASS; this represents the necessary aerofoils, control surfaces and
heatshields as well as the reduction in usable internal capacity caused by the
streamlined hull shape.

Example: We are building a Heavy Cruiser - sized vessel, and decide on a total MASS of
85. The basic POINTS COST of the basic hull will be the same as the MASS, i.e.: 85 points.

FRAGILE hull:

10% of total MASS

WEAK hull:

20% of total MASS

AVERAGE hull: 30% of total MASS

STRONG hull:

40% of total MASS

SUPER hull:

50% of total MASS

The MASS used for hull integrity is the given % of the total mass of the ship; the same
number gives the HULL BOXES that the ship has to absorb damage points. The hull
boxes are arranged in four rows to form the DAMAGE TRACK for the ship.
The POINTS COST of the hull integrity is TWICE the MASS used on it.
Example: We decide to give our Heavy Cruiser an AVERAGE hull integrity. This will use up
30% of the total 85 MASS, or 26 MASS (actually 25.5, rounded up). The points cost of
the hull integrity will be 2 x the MASS used, i.e.: 2 x 26 = 52 points.
For HULL BOXES (or Damage Boxes) the chosen hull integrity gives the ship 26 Hull
Boxes that will be arranged as 7/7/6/6.
STEP 3:
Choose and fit DRIVES to the ship: if selecting an FTL drive to give the ship an
interstellar capability, this will require 10% of the total MASS. Decide on the required
THRUST FACTOR for the ships main drives, which use up MASS at the rate of 5% of total
ship mass per thrust factor.
The POINTS COST of the total drive package is TWICE the MASS used on it.

In MORE THRUST, two types of aerodynamic hull were considered - FULLY and PARTIALLY
streamlined. These classifications (and their effects) are retained under the new design
system, but they now require MASS on the ship thus:

Example: Our Heavy Cruiser needs an FTL drive, which will require 10% of the total ship
mass (= 8.5 mass, rounded up to 9); we also decide on THRUST-4 for the Main Drive,
which takes 4 x 5% = 20% of ship mass, i.e.: 17 mass. Total mass of drive package is
thus 26 mass. Points cost for the drives is 26 x 2 = 52 points.

PARTIAL STREAMLINING uses 10% of the ships total MASS, while FULL STREAMLINING
uses 20% of the ships total MASS. The POINTS COST of streamlining is 2 points per
MASS used for the aerodynamics.

We now have a hull with drive systems installed; the total MASS used so far is 26 + 26 =
52, leaving 85 - 52 = 33 mass for fitting the ship out with other systems. The points cost
so far is 85 + 52 + 52 = 189.

Example: to give a MASS 50 ship partial streamlining will use 5 MASS and cost an
additional 10 points on top of the basic hull cost; to give the same ship FULL
streamlining will use 10 MASS and cost 20 points.

STEP 4:

Both MASS and points cost of streamlining are in addition to the costs of the basic hull
strength chosen for the ship (see below).

MASS and POINTS values of the various systems are set out in the systems table.

VARIABLE HULL STRENGTHS

Rather than the old FT2 definitions of Military and Merchant hulls with fixed values
for damage boxes (50% and 25%), FT3 uses a sliding scale of five different hull
strength factors; the chosen hull strength now uses MASS from the ships total, and is
directly related to the number of damage boxes the ship has.
The Hull Strength represents the amount of the ships structure that is devoted to reinforcing the basic hull envelope, including bulkheads, compartmentalisation, internal

Select the desired mix of offensive and defensive systems to fit to the ship, according
to its intended role.
Example: The Heavy Cruiser we are designing is intended as a multi-role ship, for both
extended patrols and as a combat ship to support the main battleline. Accordingly, we
decide on a balanced mix of offensive and defensive systems to cope with a wide variety
of possible threats.
We choose to fit TWO standard Fire Control systems to the Cruiser, costing 1 MASS each.
This leaves us 31 MASS to play with.
The main offensive punch of the ship will be a mix of beam batteries and salvo missiles we decide on two class-3 batteries each bearing through 2 arcs (each will bear Fore and
one of the Fore Side arcs, to give overlapping coverage), at 5 MASS each, one class-2

10

SHIP DESIGN
battery with all-round fire (at 3 MASS), plus a backup armament of 2 class-1 batteries at
1 MASS each. A single Salvo Missile Launcher is mounted forward (covering the front 180
degree zone) at 3 MASS, with a magazine holding 3 standard salvoes (3 x 2 = 6 MASS).
Total offensive systems mass is 5 + 5 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 6 = 24.
We thus have 7 MASS left for defensive systems to protect the ship; we decide on a good
active defence capability of three Point-Defence Systems (PDS) at 1 MASS each, leaving
us 4 MASS to use up. We could spend this on 4 boxes of Hull Armour, or alternatively we
could fit a level-1 Screen generator for 4 MASS (5% of 85 = 4.25, rounded down to 4).
On balance, we decide the Screen would be of more value, and go for that option.
So, the total systems fit for the ship is:
Basic Hull

(MASS 85)

Points cost

85

Hull Integrity

MASS 26

Points cost

52

FTL Drive

MASS 9

Points cost

18

Main Drive (Thrust-4)

Sub-totals:

MASS 17
MASS 52

Points cost
Points cost

34
189

Class 3 Batts x 2 (2-arc each) MASS 10

Points cost

30

Class 2 Batt x 1 (6-arc)

MASS 3

Points cost

Class 1 Batts x 2

MASS 2

Points cost

FCS x 2

MASS 2

Points cost

SML x 1

MASS 3

Points cost

SM magazine (3 loads)

MASS 6

Points cost

18

Screen level-1

MASS 4

Points cost

12

PDS x 3

MASS 3

Points cost

Sub-totals:

MASS 33

Points cost

95

TOTALS:

MASS 85

Points cost

290

Systems
Status Display
Display
Status
Systems
Ship Diagram for
the Mass 85
Heavy Cruiser
described in the
example above.

MASS:

POINTS COST:

BASIC CONSTRUCTION
BASIC HULL

Total MASS of ship

MASS x 1

HULL INTEGRITY
FRAGILE hull
WEAK hull
AVERAGE hull
STRONG hull
SUPER hull
HULL ARMOUR (per box)

10% of total MASS

20% of total MASS
30% of total MASS
40% of total MASS
50% of total MASS
MASS 1

MASS x 2
MASS x 2
MASS x 2
MASS x 2
MASS x 2
MASS x 2

DRIVE SYSTEMS
MAIN DRIVES
FTL DRIVES

5% of ships MASS per thrust factor

(minimum MASS 1)
MASS x 2
10% of ships MASS
(minimum MASS 1)

MASS x 2

Class 4 BATTERY (1-arc fire)

MASS 8,+2 per extra arc

Total MASS x 3

Class 3 BATTERY (1-arc fire)

MASS 4, +1 per extra arc

Total MASS x 3

Class 2 BATTERY (3-arc fire)

MASS 2, +1 per extra THREE arcs

Total MASS x 3

Class 1 BATTERY (6-arc)

MASS 1

WEAPONS AND SYSTEMS

3 Points

SML (Salvo Missile Launcher) MASS 3 (Launch tubes only)

9 Points

SALVO MISSILE MAGAZINE

MASS 2 per salvo, 3 per ER salvo

3 x magazine MASS

SMR (Salvo Missile Rack)

MASS 4, or 5 for ER salvo

12 (or 15 for ER)

SUBMUNITIONS PACK

MASS 1

3 Points

NEEDLE BEAM

MASS 2

6 Points

PULSE TORPEDO LAUNCHER

MASS 4 (1-arc) +1 per extra arc

(up to 3 arcs maximum)

Total MASS x 3

OTHER SYSTEMS (INCLUDING GENRE-SPECIFIC WEAPONS)

MASS AND POINTS COST TABLE

3
2

4
OPTIONS FOR THE EXAMPLE
There are any number of different choices we could have made when designing the
Cruiser example above - some may have resulted in a better ship, some a worse one,
though the true value of any design is really dependant on the threat it is facing at any
given time.
If we had wanted to give our Cruiser a Fighter complement, we could have made space
for this by dropping the SML and magazine, giving us the 9 MASS that one fighter
group and its hangar bay requires. Alternatively, replacing the SML and its magazine
with all Beam weapons would have given us a ship that could sustain its fire longer (as
beams dont run out of ammo like the SM systems do) but would have not been able to
deliver such a hard punch at the (hopefully) vital moment in the battle!
We could have chosen to drop the Hull Integrity to WEAK rather than AVERAGE, saving
us 9 MASS that could have then been spent on Armour or other systems, but then the
ship would only have had 17 Damage Boxes (arranged 5/4/4/4); fitting 9 boxes of
armour would have boosted its survivability considerably, but only until it met a
weapon that penetrated the armour and struck directly at its weaker hull. While it is of
course possible to optimise a ship or fleet to take on a specific opposition, wellbalanced designs will more often be the best option - if your regular opponent always
seems to use beam-heavy ships then you might feel like leaving off things like PDS and
armour in favour of better screens, until he turns up next week with some new designs
sporting SMLs and fighter bays!

NOVA CANNON

MASS 20

WAVE GUN

MASS 12

60 Points
36 Points

MINELAYER

MASS 2, + 1 per mine carried

6 Points + 2 per mine

MINESWEEPER

MASS 5

15 Points

MISSILE (MT type)

MASS 2

6 Points

REFLEX FIELD

MASS 10
(or 10% of ship MASS if greater)

Total MASS x 6

CLOAKING FIELD

MASS 2
(or 10% of ship MASS if greater)

Total MASS x 10

ORTILLERY SYSTEM

MASS 3

9 Points

HANGAR BAY:
(+craft)

1.5 x MASS of small craft carried

Bay MASS x 3

POINT-DEFENCE SYSTEM

MASS 1

3 Points

FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM

MASS 1

4 Points

AREA DEFENCE FIRECONTROL MASS 2

8 Points

CARGO/PASSENGER SPACE

MASS 1 per space

No cost

LEVEL-1 SCREEN

MASS 3
(or 5% of ship MASS if greater)

MASS x 3

LEVEL-2 SCREEN

MASS 6
(or 10% of ship MASS if greater)

MASS x 3

FIGHTER TYPES:
All fighters require 1.5 MASS of hangar bay space per fighter,
so a standard hangar for a 6-fighter group is 9 MASS.
Points costs are: (per group of 6):
Standard fighters

18 points (3 each)

Heavy fighters

30 points (5 each)

Fast fighters

24 points (4 each)

Interceptor fighters

18 points (3 each)

Attack fighters

24 points (4 each)

Long-Range fighters

24 points (4 each)

Torpedo fighters

36 points (6 each)

[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SPECIALISED FIGHTER TYPES LISTED ABOVE ARE DESCRIBED
IN THE "MORE THRUST" SUPPLEMENT.]
Interface Craft and other light vessels are costed at 2 points per MASS of the craft.
E.g. a MASS 10 Interface Lander would cost 20 points and require 15 MASS of available
hangar bay space on its carrying ship.

11

SHIP DESIGN
NEW-STYLE SHIP DIAGRAM
The ship designs given in this book all use a redesigned ship diagram as illustrated
below - please note that this is NOT an actual ship design, just a key to the symbols
and icons used!

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
Class 1 Beam Battery
(6 arc fire)

Class 3 Beam Battery

(2 arc fire)

Salvo Missile Launcher

with Mass 6 Magazine
Pulse Torpedo Tube
(firing F only)

Class 2 Beam Battery

(3 arc fire)

Screen (Level 1)

Submunition Pack
firing F only

Fire Control Systems (2)

Point Defence System

Area Defence Firecon

Armour
Damage Track
Command Bridge Icon

Crew Factor Marker

Life Support Icon

FTL Drive

Power Core Icon

Main Drive (Thrust 4)

Core Systems Box

STANDARD SHIP CLASSIFICATIONS

AND TYPICAL MASS RATINGS:
The table below shows the standard basic ship classifications used by most space
navies, along with the accepted designations and a rough guide to the typical mass
ratings of the classifications; these figures are very loose, as most navies tend to
classify ships by function rather than by tonnage - one fleets Destroyer may, in reality,
be a bigger and more powerful ship than anothers Light Cruiser, hence the large
overlap in most of the mass groupings.
SHIP CLASS

Abbreviation

MASS RANGE

Scout or Courier

SC

MASS 4-10

Corvette

CT

MASS 8-16

Frigate

FF

MASS 14-26

Destroyer

DD

MASS 24-36

Heavy (or Super) Destroyer

DH

MASS 30-50

Light Cruiser

CL

MASS 40-60

Patrol or Escort Cruiser

CE

MASS 50-70

Heavy Cruiser

CH

MASS 60-90

Battlecruiser or Light Battleship

BC

MASS 80-110

Battleship

BB

MASS 100-140

Heavy Battleship (or Battledreadnought)

BDN

MASS 120-160

Dreadnought

DN

MASS 140-180

Superdreadnought

SDN

MASS 160+

Escort Carrier

CVE

MASS 80-140

Light Carrier

CVL

MASS 120-180

Heavy Carrier

CVH

MASS 160+

Attack Carrier

CVA

MASS 150+

SUMMARY OF WEAPON SYSTEMS AND EFFECTS

SALVO MISSILES

BEAM BATTERIES

Maximum range 24". 1 D6 missiles per salvo will be on target, minus any stopped
by defensive fire. Screens do not affect damage.

Maximum range and number of dice rolled per shot is according to Battery class
(see chart below). Screens reduce damage as noted.
Damage is as per table, with rerolls on scores of 6. All initial damage is taken from
ARMOUR (if any), but REROLL damage applied directly to HULL even if armour
boxes remain.

Damage is 1D6 per missile that hits, NO rerolls. Half the damage scored by each
missile (rounded UP) is taken on ARMOUR (if any), remainder on HULL.
Extended Range Salvoes exactly as standard SM, except maximum range is 36".
ICONS

Note: Class 1 batteries ONLY may fire in limited PDS mode; roll 1 die per battery,
scores of 5 or 6 kill 1 fighter or 1 missile from SM salvo (reroll on 6).
Dice at range:
Class 1 Battery
Class 2 Battery
Class 3 Battery
Class 4 Battery

0-12
1
2
3
4

12-24
1
2
3

24-36
1
2

Beam hit damage

Unscreened target: 1-3 = no damage; 4-5 = 1 DP;
Screen-1
1-4 = no damage; 5 = 1 DP;
Screen-2
1-4 = no damage; 5 = 1 DP;

36-48
1

Class-1 Battery
6 fire arcs

Maximum range 18"; at 0-6" roll 3 dice, at 6-12" 2 dice and at 12-18" one die only.
Screens do not affect damage.
Damage is as per Beam fire dice, with rerolls on 6. All initial damage is taken from
ARMOUR (if any), but REROLL damage applied directly to HULL. ICON

6 = 2 DP + reroll
6 = 2 DP + reroll*
6 = 1 DP + reroll*

Class-2 Battery
3 fire arcs

PDS (POINT DEFENCE SYSTEM)

PULSE TORPEDOES
Maximum range 30"; at 0-6" a hit is scored on 2+, at 6-12" on 3+ , at 12-18" on
4+, at 18-24" on 5+ and at 24-30" on 6 only. Screens do not affect damage.
Damage per hit is 1D6, NO reroll. Half the damage scored (rounded UP) is taken on
ARMOUR (if any), remainder on HULL.
ICONS

1 fire arc

SM Launcher
(with magazine)

SUBMUNITION PACKS

* All reroll damage counts as if target is unscreened, as beam is assumed to have

penetrated the screens on a roll of 6.
ICONS (examples):

SM Rack
(no magazine)

3 fire arcs

NEEDLE BEAMS
Maximum range 12"; firer must nominate target system and roll 1 die. On score of
6, target system is knocked-out and 1 DP is applied to HULL (weapon ignores
ARMOUR). On score of 5, target system is unaffected but 1 DP is still inflicted on
hull. Rolls of 1-4 are no effect. Screens do not affect damage. ICON

Against Fighters or SMBs, roll 1 die per PDS: 1-3 = no effect, 4-5 kills ONE fighter
or missile, 6 kills TWO and allows a reroll (reroll kills are same as for first die roll).
On its own, a PDS may only protect the ship it is mounted on, but linked to an
ADFC it may be used to engage anything that is attacking another ship within 6".
PDS may fire in a limited antiship mode instead of point-defence mode, at targets
within 6" only - roll 1 die, scores of 6 inflict 1 DP on ARMOUR (if any), or HULL if
no armour. There are no rerolls. Scores of 1-5 are no effect. Screens do not affect
damage. PDS fire does NOT require an active FireCon system, even in its antiship
mode - the installation has its own integral shortrange FireCon. ICON
ADFC (AREA-DEFENCE FIRECONTROL)
An enhanced FireCon system that allows a ship to protect other nearby ships with
its PDS. One ADFC allows the ships PDS (any number of them) to fire at any
combination of threats (Fighters, SMBs etc) that are directly attacking one friendly
ship that is within 6" of the ADFC-carrying ship. Any PDS used in this mode may
not fire in other modes in the same turn. PDS used in AD mode roll dice and score
kills exactly as normal PDS fire. An ADFC functions ONLY as an enhanced PDS firedirector link, and may NOT be used as a normal Fire Control System. ICON

12

THE NEW ANGLIAN CONFEDERATION ROYAL SPACE NAVY

The current prefix used for NAC Navy ships is RNS, for Royal Navy Starship. Up to 2166 the prefix was CNS (for Confederation Navy Ship), but an Admiralty decision to change to
RNS was reached as a compromise with the hardline Royalist factions who actually wanted a return to the old HMS (His/Her Majesty's Ship) which had been dropped in the late
2090s. NAC-registered merchant shipping is prefixed MSS, for Merchant Star Ship.
The national emblem for the Royal navy is a stylised "A" symbol with echoes of the old United Kingdom flag, in the traditional red, white and blue.
HISTORY AND ORGANISATION
The NAC Royal Navy is a direct descendant of the British RN, and proudly maintains many of the long-standing traditions of the Senior Service. The amalgamation of the British,
Canadian and former US navies (that is, the Earthbound surface fleets) when the Anglian Confederation was formed in 2057 brought many American and Canadian naval practices
into the new force, but the three nations' long history of co-operation served to make the integration a relatively easy one. The US Military had operated primitive in-system
space warships since the early 2020s, and the development of the Jump drive in the 2060s led the new NAC RN to start a programme of FTL warship construction to support and
protect their colonial expansion. The first true combat starship was the HMS Thunderer, launched from the Lunar orbit shipyard on July 10th 2076.
The Royal Navy in the 2180s is divided into Core Command, which operates the NAC fleet units still based within the Sol, Barnard and Centaurus systems, Defence Command (also
known as the Home Fleet) that operates in the Inner Colonies and is tasked with protection of the NAC's Capital on Albion, and Outworld Command that operates throughout the
far-flung NAC colonial possessions. The ground-combat arm of the Navy is the Royal Marines, elements of which are divided between the three Space Commands. Training
Command and the Royal Naval Reserve are run as separate organisational structures, with both contributing ships and manpower to any of the main active-duty Commands in
times of need.
Service in all branches of the NAC armed forces is on a volunteer basis except in the most extreme circumstances, and personnel morale is generally very high. The RN encourages
pride in the history and traditions of the Navy, and conditions aboard NAC ships are are comfortable as possible within the constraints of warship design and function.
SHIP DESIGN DOCTRINE
The Royal Navy employs largely general-purpose ships (with the exception of the Fighter Carrier classes), using a broad mix of weapons and systems - beam batteries, pulse
torpedoes and some salvo missile systems. They have some specialised designs for duties such as minelaying and sweeping, planetary bombardment and such, but the majority of
fleet units are versatile multi-role ships. Energy screens are the primary passive defence, though some hull armour is also employed especially on the heavier units. Mobility is
generally average-to-good, with very few ships having less than thrust-4 drives. Fighter operations doctrine is to base them on specialised carriers which rely primarily on
supporting escort ships for their defence.

The Harrison is just one

example of several small
scoutship classes in the
NAC fleet, and is an
elderly design approaching
the end of its projected
operational life - many are
being sold off to other
navies or transferred to
training and colonial
forces, though a good
number will probably
remain in NAC service for
some time as couriers and
recon vessels. Its thrust
rating is low for a
scoutship, but its hull is
better able to absorb
damage than many other
ships of its size.

Harrison class SCOUTSHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

TMF: 6
NPV: 21

4
SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2163
Currently in NAC service: 70
Lost in action: 22
Decommissioned/scrapped: 12
Relegated to reserve fleet: 31
Sold to other forces: 45
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 210 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

Arapaho class
CORVETTE

Scoutship
600 Tonnes [MASS Factor 6]
Average [Hull Integrity 2]
2 officers, 4 ratings [Crew Factor 1]
1 x Class 1 battery

Defences:
Sensor suite:

None
Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Though lighter than some other navies' Corvette classes, the Arapaho is a
capable little combat ship for its size; while never intended to cross swords
with the enemy battleline, it can give a good account of itself against other
light escort classes. A particular design feature is the choice of a small amount
of hull armour over a comparatively frail hull structure, which increases the
little ship's survivability considerably. A common variant, known as the Arapaho
Brave, mounts a submunition pack in place of one of the class-1 beam systems.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Corvette
Displacement: 1200 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 12]
Hull type:
Weak [Hull Integrity 2]
Crew:
3 officers, 9 ratings
[Crew Factor 1]
Armament:
2 x Class 1 batteries
Defences:
1 Point Defence System
Grade 1 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2173
Currently in NAC service: 87
Lost in action: 31
Decommissioned/scrapped: 6
Relegated to reserve fleet: 19
Sold to other forces: 15
Under construction: 33
Procurement cost: 410 MUcr.

TMF: 12
NPV: 41

13

Minerva class FRIGATE

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
TMF: 18
NPV: 61

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2169
Currently in NAC service: 104
Lost in action: 38
Decommissioned/scrapped: 29
Relegated to reserve fleet: 17
Sold to other forces: 43
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 610 MUcr.

6
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Frigate
Displacement: 1800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 18]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 5]
4 officers, 14 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 1]

2 x Class 1,
1 x Class 2 batteries
1 Point Defence System
Defences:
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:

The Minerva is the class name of the second-generation refit of the earlier
Miyazaki class frigates; all but a small handful of Miyazaki class ships
(originally built in the early 2160s) were stripped and rebuilt to the
Minerva specification during an extended refurbishment programme
between 2169 and 2173. The main class variant is the Minerva/A, which
has only one class-1 beam battery for offensive fire but carries an AreaDefence Fire Control system and an additional PDS installation in place of
the class-2 battery and the other class-1; this version is commonly used
as an anti-fighter close escort for merchant convoys and support ships.

Tacoma class HEAVY FRIGATE

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2181
Currently in NAC service: 41
Lost in action: 13
Decommissioned/scrapped: Nil
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 810 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

One of the newest ships in the NAC

inventory, the Tacoma is already proving
a popular and effective vessel; the class
is under continuous production at both
the Caledon Base and Arcadia shipyards,
and within a few years will probably
replace many of the older Minerva class
ships. An anti-fighter escort version
similar to the Minerva/A concept will
enter service in 2184, with 18 of the 32
hulls currently in the yards being of this
configuration. A Torpedo-carrying variant
that drops both class-2 batteries in
favour of a single fore-mounted P-torp
tube has undergone fleet trials, but no
firm order has been placed for this
version as yet.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 24
NPV: 81

Classification: Frigate
Displacement: 2400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 24]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 7]
Crew:
5 officers, 19 ratings
[Crew Factor 2]

14

Armament:

2 x Class 1,
2 x Class 2 batteries
Defences:
1 Point Defence System
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Ticonderoga class DESTROYER

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
TMF: 30
NPV: 100

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2166
Currently in NAC service: 35
Lost in action: 28
Decommissioned/scrapped: 7
Relegated to reserve fleet: 23
Sold to other forces: 21
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 1000 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Destroyer
Displacement: 3000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 30]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 9]
6 officers, 24 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 2]

2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2
batteries
2 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:

Huron class LIGHT CRUISER

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
2
1

The Ticonderoga is one of the older Destroyer types currently

in NAC service. It is an effective general-purpose ship, but
age is beginning to tell on the earliest hulls and many are
currently being sold off or transferred to reserve forces. A
major refit program was undertaken between 2177 and
2179, and those Ticonderogas that are still in service are
almost exclusively of the post-refit specification. No hulls of
this class have been built since the first of the newer
Tallahachie class DDs was commissioned in 2175.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Light Cruiser
Displacement: 5000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 50]
Hull type:
Average [Hull Integrity 15]
Crew:
9 officers, 41 ratings
[Crew Factor 3]
Armament:
2 x Class 1,
3 x Class 2 batteries

Defences:

2 Point Defence Systems

Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2177
Currently in NAC service: 56
Lost in action: 15
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: 5
Sold to other forces: 9
Under construction: 4
Procurement cost: 1670 MUcr.

The Huron is a rebuild of the earlier Hoshino class hulls that were built between 2157
and 2165; the lack of a suitable replacement CL design in the mid-2170s caused the
Admiralty to look at ways of extending the service life of the obsolescent Hoshinos,
and the Huron was the outcome of the project study. Projected operational life of the
totally-refitted ships is now well into the 2190s, and there are even a handful of new
hulls being built to the updated design.

15

TMF: 50
NPV: 167

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Furious class ESCORT CRUISER

TMF: 64
NPV: 219

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
2

Escort Cruiser
6400 Tonnes [MASS Factor 64]
Average [Hull Integrity 19]
11 officers, 53 ratings
[Crew Factor 4]
1 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
Armament:
1 x Class 3 batteries
1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
3 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Grade 3 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems,
1 Area Defence control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

2
1

3
The Furious is the most common NAC medium
cruiser, and is a well-armed ship suitable for
both escort duties and patrol missions. A level1 screen system and a small amount of
additional hull armour give it reasonable
survivability in combat. A specialised Salvo
Missile armed variant of the Furious class is in
service, which dispenses with the class 3
battery, the ADFC and the P-torp tube in order
to make space for one SM launcher and a 3salvo (MASS 6) magazine, plus an additional
class-1 beam battery.

Vandenburg class HEAVY CRUISER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2174
Currently in NAC service: 36
Lost in action: 7
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 12
Sold to other forces: 4
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 2190 MUcr.

TMF: 80
NPV: 261

Systems
Status Display
Display
Status
Systems
1

The Vandenburg is a long-serving

and powerful cruiser designed to be
agile and survivable in combat; it
has a higher thrust rating than
most ships of its size, though the
large Rockwell-Mikasa drive units
providing this power make a
significant dent in the ship's
payload capacity. A 2175 refit
programme converted a number of
ships to a variant classed as the
Vandenburg/T, in which the drive
units have been down-rated to
thrust-4 and the resulting
additional payload mass used to
mount two fore-firing P-torp tubes.
These torp-armed cruisers provide a
useful heavy anti-ship capability to
NAC cruiser task forces.

SERVICE DETAILS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

Heavy Cruiser
8000 Tonnes [MASS Factor 80]
Average [Hull Integrity 24]
9 officers, 41 ratings
[Crew Factor 4]
1 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
1 x Class 3 batteries

Defences:

2 Point Defence Systems

Level 1 Screens, Grade 5 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

16

First entered service: 2164

Currently in NAC service: 32
Lost in action: 10
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: 12
Sold to other forces: 6
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 2610 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

Majestic class BATTLECRUISER

3
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Battlecruiser
Displacement: 10600 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 106]
Average [Hull Integrity 32]
Hull type:
15 officers, 91 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 6]
2 x Class 1, 1 x Class 2,
Armament:
2 x Class 3 batteries
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
3 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Grade 5 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

4
TMF: 106
NPV: 358
SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2164
Currently in NAC service: 32
Lost in action: 10
Decommissioned/scrapped: 10
Relegated to reserve fleet: 12
Sold to other forces: 6
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 3580 MUcr.

Developed from the Victoria class BB, the Majestic BCs are a slightly lighter version designed for fleet task force
operations; with Missile-based primary armament the Majestics rely more on fleet logistic support than the beam and
torp-armed Victorias do, and thus are seldom used on independant patrol duties. The class has nonetheless proved itself a
worthy addition to the lighter side of the battle line over its years of service, and though a number are now being moved
to the reserve to make way for newer designs the Majestic is expected to serve well into the late 2180s or beyond.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Battleship
12000 Tonnes [MASS Factor 120]
Average [Hull Integrity 36]
18 officers, 102 ratings
[Crew Factor 6]
Armament:
2 x Class 1, 1 x Class 2,
3 x Class 3 batteries,
2 Pulse Torpedo TubeS
Defences:
3 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens, Grade 5 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

Systems
Status Display
Display
Status
Systems
2

4
The Victoria class BBs are wellarmed and agile ships for their
tonnage; their lack of expendableordnance weapons systems makes
them ideal for long-range
independant patrol missions, and
they have served well in this
function for many years. The NAC
fleet contains a number of other
Battleship classes, including some
very mission-specific designs, but
none have been built in the
quantities of the Victoria or gained
as many honours in battle.

SERVICE DETAILS:

TMF: 120
NPV: 406

Victoria class BATTLESHIP

17

First entered service: 2163

Currently in NAC service: 29
Lost in action: 11
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 8
Sold to other forces: 3
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 4060 MUcr.

Excalibur class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2178
Currently in NAC service: 16
Lost in action: 5
Decommissioned/scrapped: Nil
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 2
Under construction: 5
Procurement cost: 4720 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

Classification: Battledreadnought
Displacement: 14000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 140]
Average [Hull Integrity 42]
Hull type:
21 officers, 119 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 7]
plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1, 1 x Class 2,
Armament:
3 x Class 3 batteries
1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
3 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Grade 7 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems,
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive
Hangar Bays: 1 bay for 6 Fighters.

The Excalibur was introduced to service quite

TMF: 140
recently as a replacement for the Avalon class
BDNs built in the mid-2160s. The Avalon was
NPV: 472
never a very successful design, and in 2176 a
decision was taken to rebuild all remaining
Avalon hulls into the newer Excalibur
configuration, which entailed significant hull
modifications and a complete internal
upgrading.
Rather than recall all the ships en masse and leave the fleet
seriously understrength, the refit programme has been spread
out over several years as the Avalons are rotated back to major
fleet bases for overhaul; as of 2183 there are still a small
number of unconverted ships in service in outlying regions.

Systems Status
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3

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Valley Forge class SUPERDREADNOUGHT

TMF: 190
NPV: 642

The Valley Forge

superdreadnought has been the
mainstay of the NAC battle line
since the decommissioning of the
remaining Eastwood class SDNs in
the mid-2170s. There are many
minor weapons fit variations
within the ships of the Valley
Forge class; some ships operate
only one fighter group rather
than two, and replace the second
hangar bay with a fore-mounted
SML system and a Mass-6
magazine for it. Two ships, RNS
Richmond and Agincourt, actually
have both hangars removed and
replaced with SML armament (2
launchers) and magazine space.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

Armament:

Superdreadnought
19000 Tonnes [MASS Factor 190]
Average [Hull Integrity 57]
28 officers, 162 ratings
[Crew Factor 10]
Plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
3 x Class 3 batteries,
2 Pulse Torpedo Tubes

Defences:

4 Point Defence Systems

Level 1 Screens,
Grade 7 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive
Hangar Bays: 2 bays each holding
6 Fighters.

18

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2170
Currently in NAC service: 12
Lost in action: 4
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil

Sold to other forces: Nil

Under construction: 3
Procurement cost: 6420 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

The Inflexible class CVLs are intended mainly for duty in smaller task
forces where the use of a supercarrier (an Ark Royal or similar class) is
not warranted. Their fighter complement, while not huge, is enough to
support light fleet and interface operations and an Inflexible will often
be attached to the naval assets of a planetary assault mission. A
number of Inflexibles have now been sold off to third-line states, and
one is used by Fighter Operations Training Command as a flagship and
pilot training vessel. Like all NAC carriers, the Inflexible's system
installations are primarily defensive, including significant screen
systems and hull armour.

Classification: Light Fleet Carrier

Displacement: 14000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 140]
Weak
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 28]
20 officers, 120 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 7]
Plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1,
Armament:
1 x Class 2 batteries
4 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 2 Screens,
Grade 9 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive
Hangar Bays: 4 bays each holding
6 Fighters.

Systems
Status Display
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Systems
Status
1

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2168
Currently in NAC service: 10
Lost in action: 3
Decommissioned/scrapped: 4
Relegated to reserve fleet: 1
Sold to other forces: 6
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 4830 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Inflexible class LIGHT FLEET CARRIER

SERVICE DETAILS:

The Ark Royal is the most numerous carrier class currently in NAC service;
introduced as a replacement for the Saratoga class, it follows standard NAC
doctrine of being primarily a fighter platform rather than a line-of-battle ship,
though its armament suite is sufficient to permit it to engage other shipping
directly should the need arise. The ships are well defended with screens, armour
and point-defence weaponry, but are still usually accompanied by a significant
escort force to keep major enemy units at bay.

First entered service: 2171

Currently in NAC service: 14
Lost in action: 2
Decommissioned/scrapped: 1
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 2
Procurement cost: 6900 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Systems Status
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TMF: 140
NPV: 483

TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Fleet Supercarrier
Displacement: 20000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 200]
Hull type:
Weak
[Hull Integrity 40]
Crew:
33 officers, 167 ratings
[Crew Factor 10]
Plus Fighter pilots
Armament:
2 x Class 1,
2 x Class 2 batteries
Defences:
4 Point Defence Systems
Level 2 Screens,
Grade 12 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive
Hangar Bays: 6 bays each holding
6 Fighters.

TMF: 200
NPV: 690

Ark Royal class FLEET SUPERCARRIER

19

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
THE NEU SWABIAN LEAGUE SPACE FLEET (KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE):
German is the official language for the NSL; the space naval arm of the NSL military is known as the Kreigsraumflotte (literally translated as "Space War Fleet"), usually written as
KRF, and their standard military ship prefix is KRS (for Kreigsraumschiff). Civilian vessels belonging to the NSL are simply prefixed RS, for Raumschiff.
The KRF emblem is a highly-stylised eagle symbol, which is commonly depicted in black, grey or silver without any background when applied to ship hulls; the full Naval ensign is
of the eagle in silver on a black field, while the national flag is the same design but with the eagle black against a red field.
HISTORY AND ORGANISATION:
When the NSL was formed in 2101 following the split of the old European Union, the fledgling European Space Force was also divided - the NSL and FSE each appropriated what
they could of the ESF ships and assets to create the beginnings of their own space navies. The Kriegsraumflotte was officially established in 2102 with a handful of primitive exESF ships, comprising a very few newly-built FTL-capable vessels and a number of insystemers. The first purely NSL-designed warship was the FTL cruiser KRS Wien, launched in
2109, the first of a class that eventually numbered 23 vessels and served well until the late 2130s. Since then the KRF has rapidly expanded to become one of the four major
Space Navies; it cannot yet rival the NAC or ESU fleets in terms of sheer tonnage, but it is still growing despite the attrition of the war years. The spirit and traditions of the KRF
can be traced back past the German forces of the early and mid Twentieth Century, to the Austro-Hungarian Navy of the Nineteenth Century and earlier.
The organisation of the KRF is structured as a number of Fleets with different areas of operation; First Fleet is the home defence force based in the Core and Inner worlds, Second
Fleet the Outer Colony defence units and Third Fleet is considered the "Strike Fleet" - based at Neu Salzburg, it is kept as a ready reserve for major operations. Logistic support
units are integral parts of each Fleet. Marine ground forces are provided from specially-trained units of the regular army seconded to Naval service as required.
Most of the KRF personnel are volunteers who sign up for either a five-year term or a full career. Conscription has been used at times during the Solar Wars, but it has generally
been found inefficient - good starship crew members require lengthy training and considerable dedication. Conditions on board KRF warships are not luxurious, but neither are
they unpleasant; the ships are utilitarian in design, but reasonable attention has been paid to the effects of living conditions on crew morale. Many KRF officers, both senior and
junior, come from the revived aristocratic families of the NSL member states which have a heritage of proud military service stretching back through many generations.
SHIP DESIGN DOCTRINE:
The ships of the KRF are generally heavily armed with beam weapons, with other systems such as missiles or pulse torpedoes only being mounted on a very few classes. NSL
doctrine is for powerful ships in offence and defence, with mobility a lower priority - thrust levels tend to be low, and most large classes have only thrust-2 drives. NSL military
hulls are boxy and solid, and hull armour is used extensively, but energy screens are not carried. Active defences are seen as a priority, and most ships carry extensive pointdefence installations. Fighter operations are based around small numbers carried on the large general combat ships rather than specific carrier designs.

Falke class SCOUTSHIP

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2173
Currently in NSL service: 67
Lost in action: 15
Decommissioned/scrapped: 11
Relegated to reserve fleet: 24
Sold to other forces: 8
Under construction: 12
Procurement cost: 270 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

Scoutship
800 Tonnes [MASS Factor 8]
Average [Hull Integrity 2]
3 officers, 5 ratings [Crew Factor 1]
1 x Class 1 battery

Grade 1 Armour
Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Defences:
Sensor suite:

Systems Status
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The Falke is the primary NSL scout vessel and is widely used for reconnaissance and courier
duties. Its armoured hull gives it better survivability against enemy light units than many
other scout ships, but the trade-off for this is its very light armament - a single Class-1
beam battery, which does dual service as a point-defence and light anti-ship weapon. There
is a stripped-down "strike" version of the Falke which removes the hull armour and mounts
a single disposable submunition pack in addition to the beam system.

Stroschen class CORVETTE

TMF: 8
NPV: 27

TMF: 14
NPV: 47

Systems Status
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Systems
2

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2174
Currently in NSL service: 51
Lost in action: 17
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 12
Sold to other forces: 9
Under construction: 22
Procurement cost: 470 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
The Stroschen follows standard NSL design doctrine in being
relatively unmanoeuvrable, with a low thrust rating for a Corvette
class ship, but being well-protected with hull armour and mounting
an effective weapon; the single Class-2 beam system outranges the
weaponry of many other nations' Corvettes, and can do significant
damage to other ships.

Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

20

Corvette
1400 Tonnes [MASS Factor 14]
Average [Hull Integrity 4]
4 officers, 10 ratings [Crew Factor 1]
1 x Class 2 battery

Defences:

1 Point Defence System

Grade 2 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Frigate
Displacement: 2000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 20]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 6]
5 officers, 15 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 1]

The Ehrenhold is a fairly new design that began to replace the old
Nibelung class FFs in the late 2170s. It is a sturdy and well-defended ship
with a good offensive potential, and is often used on convoy protection
duties. The three ships listed as "sold to other forces" were not NSL castoffs, but a commercial order of new hulls for an undisclosed individual
purchaser - in accordance with UNSC-enforced treaties, the privatelyordered warship hulls were delivered without any weapons installations, a
deficiency which has doubtless been rectified by this time through
channels of questionable legality.

2 x Class 2 batteries
1 Point Defence System
Grade 2 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:
Defences:

Systems Status
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Systems

TMF: 20
NPV: 67

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2178
Currently in NSL service: 44
Lost in action: 12
Decommissioned/scrapped: 6
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 3
Under construction: 16
Procurement cost: 670 MUcr.

Systems Status
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Systems
1

The standard KRF general-purpose destroyer, the Waldburg is a

typical heavy escort able to engage in combat with enemy light
forces or to act as support for the main battleline. The pair of Class2 beam systems give it a good primary offensive capability for its
tonnage, especially in its frontal arc where both can be brought to
bear on a single target. A combination of hull armour and twin
Point Defence batteries (backed up by two multi-role Class-1 beams)
provide reasonable protection against incoming fire. After nine years
of production, Waldburgs are still being produced at a steady rate to
replace combat losses, though a new DD type is expected by 2185
at the latest.

TMF: 30
NPV: 100

Ehrenhold class FRIGATE

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2174
Currently in service: 59
Lost in action: 17
Decommissioned/scrapped: 4
Relegated to reserve fleet: 7
Sold to other forces: 5
Under construction: 12
Procurement cost: 1000 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Destroyer
Displacement: 3000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 30]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 9]
Crew:
7 officers, 23 ratings
[Crew Factor 2]

Armament:

2 x Class 1,
2 x Class 2 batteries
Defences:
2 Point Defence Systems
Grade 3 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

21

Waldburg class DESTROYER

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
Systems Status
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Systems

TMF: 30
NPV: 101

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Missile Destroyer
Displacement: 3000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 30]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 9]
7 officers, 23 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 2]

1 x Class 1 battery
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
with capacity 4 magazine
1 Point Defence System
Defences:
Grade 2 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
Armament:

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2178
Currently in NSL service: 26
Lost in action: 7
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 2
Under construction: 14
Procurement cost: 1010 MUcr.

The Waldburg/M is a variant of the standard Waldburg DD hull

which is sufficiently numerous in KRF service to warrant being
considered a separate class. Most of the beam weapon armament
of the standard destroyer (with the exception of a single Class-1
mount) is deleted and replaced by a single Salvo Missile launcher
system. The SML is backed up by only a limited magazine capacity,
which is a disadvantage in prolonged engagements, but the
Waldburg/M is not intended for this kind of combat - it is a faststrike vessel, designed to hit hard at major targets and then
withdraw under the cover of more conventional escort ships.

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Waldburg/M class MISSILE DESTROYER

Kronprinz Wilhelm class LIGHT CRUISER

1
The Kronprinz Wilhelm is particularly well-protected for a Light Cruiser due to its
hull armour, and has so far proved to have good survivability in battle. It is liked by
its crews and officers, and has also become a popular export model for other navies
that use NSL-built equipment. The CL is designed both as a patrol craft and as an
anti-fighter ship to escort either merchant convoys or other warships; for this latter
role it carries three Point Defence systems and an ADFC installation, and a few have
been converted more specifically for the area-defence role with the addition of yet
another pair of PDS mounts in place of the fore-mounted Class-2 beam installation.

TMF: 48
NPV: 161

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Light Cruiser
Displacement: 4800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 48]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 14]
Crew:
9 officers, 39 ratings
[Crew Factor 3]
Armament:
2 x Class 1,
3 x Class 2 batteries

SERVICE DETAILS:

Defences:

3 Point Defence Systems

Grade 5 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
1 Area Defence Fire
control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

First entered service: 2175

Currently in NSL service: 35
Lost in action: 9
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 3
Sold to other forces: 8
Under construction: 10
Procurement cost: 1610 MUcr.

22

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
Radetzky class ESCORT CRUISER

The Radetzky CE is based on a modified and upgraded version of the Kronprinz

Wilhelm CL hull, and is built at the same Hochbaden yards. Like its smaller sister
class, it carries an ADFC installation as standard with an extensive PDS suite, but its
extra tonnage gives space for a larger offensive beam weapon fit than the CL. As
with most NSL designs, the Radetzky is not a fast ship, using its capacity for
armament and protection rather than large drives. It is not a numerous class, but
production is continuing at a steady rate.

TMF: 58
NPV: 195

Systems Status
Status Display
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Systems

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2177
Currently in NSL service: 22
Lost in action: 6
Decommissioned /scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 2
Under construction: 4
Procurement cost: 1950 MUcr.

2
1

1
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Escort Cruiser
Displacement: 5800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 58]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 17]
10 officers, 48 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 3]
2 x Class 1,
Armament:
4 x Class 2 batteries

3 Point Defence Systems

Grade 6 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
1 Area Defence control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Defences:

Systems Status
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TMF: 82
NPV: 271

1
3

The Markgraf is generally considered one of the best

overall ships in the KRF inventory, even though the early
examples are beginning to show their age and production
of new hulls ceased in 2178. A major overhaul and refit
of the remaining ships from the first production batch (7
from the original 12 commissioned between 2169 and
2172) is planned for 2184-85. Though there are numbers
of several other CH types in service, including the new
Lutjens class first introduced in 2182, the Markgraf is
expected to be a mainstay of the KRF cruiser force for
some years to come.

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2169
Currently in NSL service: 28
Lost in action: 9
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 3
Sold to other forces: 6
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 2710 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Heavy Cruiser
Displacement: 8200 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 82]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 25]
Crew:
12 officers, 70 ratings
[Crew Factor 5]
Armament:
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2
2 x Class 3 batteries

Defences:

3 Point Defence Systems

Grade 10 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Markgraf class HEAVY CRUISER

23

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
Maximilian class BATTLECRUISER

TMF: 100
NPV: 333

The Maximilian class BC is part of a design group first proposed in 2162, which
took five years to make it from drawing board to commissioning of the first hull.
After three years of official procrastination as to whether a new BC class was really
necessary, with the 2140-designed Bayern class having just undergone a major
update to extend their operational life into the mid-2170s, the outbreak of the
Third Solar War in 2165 finally convinced the NSL Government to approve funding
- the construction programme was rushed into operation at the Neu Salzburg yards
and the first three of the new BCs were commissioned in 2167. A number of the
older Maximilians are now being transferred to the reserve following the
introduction of their much modernised successor, the Richthofen class.

Systems Status
Status Display
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Systems
3

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

1
3

Classification: Battlecruiser
Displacement: 10000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 100]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 30]
15 officers, 85 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 5]
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2
Armament:
3 x Class 3 batteries
3 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Grade 10 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

SERVICE DETAILS:

First entered service: 2167

Currently in NSL service: 19
Lost in action: 6
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: 11
Sold to other forces: 2
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 3330 MUcr.

The Richthofen is a heavily-updated

redesign of the Maximilian class BC,
using a number of the design elements
that have made the Markgraf CH such a
successful ship. It carries an impressive
beam armament, though it has a little
less hull armour than the Maximilian.
Given its heritage, it was almost
inevitable that the name-ship of the
class would end up painted red at
some point in its life, so in a (rather
uncharacteristic) fit of good humour
the KRF command actually authorised
an overall scarlet paint scheme for this
one ship at the outset. While it serves
no practical purpose, other than the
negative one of attracting enemy fire,
this has given the KRS Manfred Von
Richthofen (to use its full title) a
reputation both within the fleet and
outside it, which its officers and crew
strive hard to live up to.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Battlecruiser
Displacement: 10400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 104]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 31]
Crew:
15 officers, 89 ratings
[Crew Factor 6]

Armament:

2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2
4 x Class 3 batteries
Defences:
3 Point Defence Systems
Grade 6 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
3

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2179
Currently in NSL service: 24
Lost in action: 3
Decommissioned/scrapped: 1
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 7
Procurement cost: 3510 MUcr.

TMF: 104
NPV: 351

Richthofen class BATTLECRUISER

24

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
Maria Von Burgund class BATTLESHIP

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2168
Currently in NSL service: 13
Lost in action: 4
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: 3
Sold to other forces: 5
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 4140 MUcr.

Classification: Battleship
Displacement: 12000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 120]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 36]
19 officers, 101 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 6]
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2
Armament:
5 x Class 3 batteries
1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
4 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Grade 10 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
4 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 2,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Systems Status
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Systems
1

1
3

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

3
3

TMF: 120
NPV: 414

The Maria Von Burgund class was designed by the same group as the Maximilian BC, and shares many important
features. It has relatively low powered drives which restrict its manoeuvrability somewhat, but it more than makes
up for this with a very extensive weapons fit that enables the ship to put out a huge amount of beam fire,
augmented by a single Pulse Torpedo tube that is particularly effective against screen-protected targets. A
significant level of hull armour and four PDS mounts give the ship good passive and active defences. The Maria Von
Burgund serves as a major part of the KRF battleline, alongside other serving BBs that include the newer Brocken
class introduced in 2179.

The Szent Istvan class is a recent addition to the NSL Kriegsraumflotte.

The first hull was commissioned in 2178, and construction of the class is
continuing at the Neu Salzburg naval yards. The BDN is a powerful multirole vessel capable of sustained independent operations; as well as a good
balance of offensive and defensive armament, it carries a single embarked
fighter group to provide support for both space and surface operations.
The strongly-constructed hull is very well armoured, though in common
with most NSL combat ships it lacks energy screen defences.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Battledreadnought
Displacement: 15000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 150]
Hull type:
Strong
[Hull Integrity 60]
Crew:
24 officers, 126 ratings
[Crew Factor 8]
Plus Fighter pilots

1 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2
4 x Class 3 batteries
Defences:
4 Point Defence Systems
Grade 14 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
4 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 2,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 1 bay for 6 Fighters
Armament:

SERVICE DETAILS:

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 150
NPV: 500

1
2

2
3
3

3
3

Szent Istvan class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT

25

First entered service: 2180

Currently in NSL service: 15
Lost in action: 4
Decommissioned/scrapped: Nil
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 7
Procurement cost: 5000 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

NSL KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE
The Von Tegetthoff is the first SDN
class to be built for the KRF since the
old Hapsburg class ships in the 2130s
(only three Hapsburgs now survive, two
in mothballed reserve and one used by
the KRF training command). It is a very
powerful ship that follows standard NSL
naval doctrine closely - it has a
massively strong hull structure with
significant additional armour, though it
lacks screen defences; its thrust rating
is low, but it is not designed to be a
hit-and-run ship - it is meant to stand
in the line and deal heavy blows from
its extensive beam armament. The
Tegetthoff is one of the few NSL ships
that carries an SML system as an added
anti-ship punch, though its magazine
capacity is quite limited. Like the ESU
Komarovs, it carries only one group of
fighters.

Von Tegetthoff class SUPERDREADNOUGHT

TMF: 200
NPV: 670

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2173
Currently in NSL service: 12
Lost in action: 3
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 2
Procurement cost: 6700 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Systems Status
Status Display
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Systems
3

1
2

1
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Superdreadnought
Displacement: 20000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 200]
Strong
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 80]
34 officers, 166 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 10]
plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1, 4 x Class 2
Armament:
4 x Class 3 batteries

The Der Theuerdank is a modified version

of the Von Tegetthoff class SDN, with an
additional fighter hangar area in a bay
beneath its main central spar plus various
internal modifications. In keeping with
the overall KRF (Kreigsraumflotte) design
philosophy, the ship is not really a true
carrier so much as a multi-role SDN with
enhanced fighter capacity; its fighter
complement is significantly less than that
of, say, an NAC carrier, but unlike the
Anglian designs it is intended to stand in
the line of battle and trade shots with
the enemy rather than just being a fragile
launching platform.

1 Salvo Missile Launcher

with capacity 8 magazine
4 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Grade 14 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
4 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 2,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 1 bay for 6 Fighters

Der Theuerdank class FIGHTER CARRIER

First entered service: 2175

Currently in NSL service: 15
Lost in action: 4
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 5
Procurement cost: 7370 MUcr.
(Plus fighter costs)

TMF: 220
NPV: 737

Systems Status
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1

SERVICE DETAILS:

1
3

3
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Fighter Carrier
Displacement: 22000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 220]
Hull type:
Strong
[Hull Integrity 88]
Crew:
38 officers, 182 ratings
[Crew Factor 11]
Plus Fighter pilots
Armament:
2 x Class 1, 3 x Class 2
3 x Class 3 batteries

26

Defences:

6 Point Defence Systems

Grade 14 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 2,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 4 bays each holding
6 fighters

LASTROMARINE DES FSE

THE FEDERAL STATS EUROPA SPACE NAVY (L'ASTROMARINE):
In French, which is the standard language for their naval and other military operations, The FSE space navy is known as L'Astromarine des FSE, or simply L'Astromarine, and all FSE
ships (whether military or merchant) are prefixed VFE for "Vaisseau federal europeen". It should be noted that the term "FSE" is not actually French (or it would be EFE, for Etats
federaux de l'Europe), but is a standard designation agreed between the member states as a linguistic compromise.
Despite French efforts to get a version of their traditional blue-white-red National tricolour used as the FSE (and Navy) symbol, in the end the Federal Council decided on a
stylised bull's head (an old symbol for Europa) in gold, with a gold star between its horns, on a field of deep blue.
HISTORY AND ORGANISATION:
L'Astromarine was formed at the same time as the FSE, in 2101, from remnants of what was previously the European Space Force. The fleet has grown along with the FSE's
expanding colonisation programme, and is now roughly equivalent to the NSL Navy in terms of number of ships and personnel. Due to their design doctrine with its heavy reliance
on expendable ordnance, the FSE fleet maintains a particularly large contingent of fleet tenders and replenishment vessels as well as an extensive network of naval bases and
resupply outposts throughout their colonial regions.
The organisation of L'Astromarine is divided into Home and Colonial Fleets, with the former serving in the Core and Inner worlds and the latter in the Outworld settlements. The
training force is administered as part of the Home Fleet, while the logistical support force is split between the two main Fleets. There is a Reserve Fleet, units of which are
commonly assigned to individual colony settlements in a system defence role. The FSE Colonial Legion acts as a Marine force for ground operations when required.
FSE personnel are approximately 60% volunteers and 40% conscripts, with many colonial settlements having a conscription programme of national service to supply the fleet with
manpower in exchange for their protection. Service on FSE vessels is comfortable (in relative terms - these are still warships, not cruise liners!), and broadly similar to the
conditions aboard NAC ships; many of the classes are quite large, which permits spacious accommodations and facilities for both officers and ratings. Fleet morale is generally
good, though the presence of a proportion of conscripted colonial ratings from different Gallic and Latin backgrounds can sometimes be a handful for the Petty Officers to keep in
order. Partly for this reason and partly to ease any potential language problems, individual ships are often manned exclusively by crew from one particular nation within the FSE.
SHIP DESIGN DOCTRINE:
FSE ships make extensive use of salvo missiles as a primary weapon (with good magazine capacities where mass is available), with beam weapons seen as secondary systems. FSE
ships are relatively fragile, with a lower priority on defences than (say) the NSL, but this is partly offset by the fact that their large capital ships are VERY big and can absorb
punishment that would cripple many other vessels. As with the ESU, fighter carriers are seen as multi-role ships and carry other offensive systems besides their fighter
complement. Mobility is a priority, with most ships having good thrust levels, including some capital classes with immensely powerful drives generating thrust-6!

The Mistral is typical of the FSE

approach to scout/courier ships - it is
somewhat larger than most NAC or
ESU scouts, and can actually carry an
ordnance fit that can threaten another
small escort or freighter. Scouts are
never meant to engage in combat
with anything much larger than
themselves, but if this is inevitable
then the Mistral is capable of putting
up a fight. Its accommodations are
relatively spacious for a scout vessel,
as it is often used as a diplomatic or
command courier. There are several
variants of the Mistral, including the
substitution of a submunition pack
for one of the class-1 beams and the
"protected" version most often used
for VIP transport, which replaces the
FCS and both beam systems with a
single PDS and two MASS of hull
armour.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Corvette
Displacement: 1400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 14]
Hull type:
Average [Hull Integrity 4]
Crew:
4 officers, 10 ratings
[Crew Factor 1]
Armament:
2 x Class 1 batteries
1 Submunitions Pack
Defences:
1 Point Defence System
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

TMF: 14
NPV: 48

Systems Status
Status Display
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Systems

Mistral class SCOUTSHIP

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2172
Currently in FSE service: 55
Lost in action: 29
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 16
Sold to other forces: 22
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 280 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 8
NPV: 28

Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

Scoutship
800 Tonnes [MASS Factor 8]
Average [Hull Integrity 2]
3 officers, 5 ratings [Crew Factor 1]
2 x Class 1 batteries

Defences:
Sensor suite:

None
Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Athena class ships are practical, fast light escorts that can deliver a surprising punch for the size of ship. Many are now
being transferred to colonial defence units around the FSE outworld territories as newer Corvette designs begin to supersede
them in primary fleet service, though some new hulls are still being built to replace battle losses. A handful of Athenas were
converted in 2177 to carry one Salvo Missile Rack each, being stripped of all their other armament (SMP, PDS and Beams) to
accommodate this; the experiment (though of moderate success in battle) was not popular with the crews, who are flying
what is effectively a defenceless one-shot ship, but a few of the converted vessels still survive in service.

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2174
Currently in FSE service: 32
Lost in action: 12
Decommissioned/scrapped: 9
Relegated to reserve fleet: 29
Sold to other forces: 16
Under construction: 11
Procurement cost: 480 MUcr.

Athena class CORVETTE

27

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LASTROMARINE DES FSE

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2173
Currently in FSE service: 67
Lost in action: 19
Decommissioned/scrapped: 6
Relegated to reserve fleet: 10
Sold to other forces: 35
Under construction: 22
Procurement cost: 610 MUcr.

TMF: 18
NPV: 61

Ibiza class FRIGATE

The Ibiza is small compared

with many other Frigate
designs, but it is costeffective ship despite its
size. The design shares
many hull components with
the Athena class Corvette,
which simplifies
construction and
subsequent maintenance.
Despite a number of other
FF designs being introduced
in later years, the Ibiza
remains in production for
both domestic fleet service
and export.

Systems Status
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Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Frigate
Displacement: 1800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 18]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 5]
4 officers, 14 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 1]

Systems Status
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1

2 x Class 1 batteries
2 Submunition packs
1 Point Defence System
Defences:
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:

San Miguel class DESTROYER

The most numerous FSE destroyer

type, the San Miguel has had a
good service career. The ship has
an effective balance of offensive
and defensive capabilities and is
a popular class to serve on. The
San Miguel's good reputation has
led to a number of export orders,
both for older second-hand hulls
and for built-to-order new
construction. There is a missilearmed strike variant that loses
both class-2 beam installations in
favour of a single disposable
Salvo Missile Rack.

SERVICE DETAILS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

First entered service: 2170

Currently in FSE service: 44
Lost in action: 17
Decommissioned/scrapped: 10
Relegated to reserve fleet: 6
Sold to other forces: 18
Under construction: 3
Procurement cost: 1120 MUcr.

Classification: Destroyer
Displacement: 3400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 34]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 10]
Crew:
7 officers, 27 ratings
[Crew Factor 2]

TMF: 34
NPV: 112

28

Armament:

2 x Class 1,
2 x Class 2 batteries
Defences:
2 Point Defence Systems
Grade 2 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

LASTROMARINE DES FSE

The Trieste is a much-enlarged and
modified version of the respected
San Miguel DD hull, and has a
tonnage that almost equals the
light cruisers of some navies.
Designed as a heavy escort that
could hold its own against cruiser
forces, it has fulfilled its role
admirably to date and further
construction is planned to continue
for several years. The Trieste is the
smallest ship in the FSE inventory
to mount a magazine-fed SML
system as a primary design feature,
making the ship very powerful in
the offensive role, though the mass
used for this system means that its
secondary beam weapon armament
is fairly light.

Trieste class SUPER DESTROYER

Systems Status
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1

SERVICE DETAILS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

First entered service: 2177

Currently in FSE service: 26
Lost in action: 4
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 3
Under construction: 18
Procurement cost: 1390 MUcr.

Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

TMF: 42
NPV: 139

Systems Status
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Systems

Armament:

Super Destroyer
4200 Tonnes [MASS Factor 42]
Average [Hull Integrity 13]
8 officers, 34 ratings
[Crew Factor 3]
1 x Class 1,
1 x Class 2 batteries

1 Salvo Missile Launcher

with capacity 4 magazine
1 Point Defence System
Defences:
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Suffren class LIGHT CRUISER

The Suffren is an effective
design that has had a long
service life; numerous minor
variations of weapons fits exist,
the result of a number of
piecemeal refit programs at
different naval yards over the
last few years. Four new Suffren
hulls are currently under
construction at the Merlon yard
on export order for the PAU
navy, but with the high FSE
losses during the current phase
of the war it is suspected that
the contract may be revoked
under the war emergency
clauses and the ships pressed
into FSE service instead.

SERVICE DETAILS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

First entered service: 2169

Currently in FSE service: 42
Lost in action: 11
Decommissioned/scrapped: 8
Relegated to reserve fleet: 12
Sold to other forces: 7
Under construction: 4
Procurement cost: 1810 MUcr.

Classification: Light Cruiser

Displacement: 5400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 54]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 16]
Crew:
9 officers, 45 ratings
[Crew Factor 3]

TMF: 54
NPV: 181

29

Armament:

2 x Class 2 batteries
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
with capacity 6 magazine
Defences:
2 Point Defence Systems
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

LASTROMARINE DES FSE

Milan class ESCORT CRUISER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2171
Currently in FSE service: 39
Lost in action: 14
Decommissioned/scrapped: 6
Relegated to reserve fleet: 5
Sold to other forces: 8
Under construction: 3
Procurement cost: 2060 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Escort Cruiser
Displacement: 6200 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 62]
Average [Hull Integrity 19]
Hull type:
11 officers, 51 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 4]
1 x Class 1,
Armament:
2 x Class 2 batteries
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
with capacity 6 magazine
2 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems,
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Systems Status
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Systems

TMF: 62
NPV: 206

Milan class CEs are a common sight in FSE naval operations, often being used as the main combat units in small
Cruiser Task Forces used to support minor colonial operations. Most of the serving Milans underwent a minor
refurbishment programme in 2177. Construction of the class for FSE forces now at an end, with the Milans are
gradually being replaced by the new Colbert class cruisers first introduced in 2181, but the ship has proved a popular
export model and there are currently three new hulls under construction for other navies in addition to the eight
second-hand Milans already sold off.

Systems Status
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Systems

Jerez class HEAVY CRUISER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2174
Currently in FSE service: 30
Lost in action: 19
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: 6
Sold to other forces: 5
Under construction: 8
Procurement cost: 2930 MUcr.

TMF: 88
NPV: 293

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
The large and well-armed Jerez is seen by FSE naval command as the
workhorse of the cruiser fleet; its relatively high losses in combat are due to
frequent combat missions against much heavier enemy units rather than any
design shortcomings, and the Jerez has always aquitted itself well in battle.
Construction is continuing at a fair rate to replace wartime losses, and with
the FSE command's current preoccupation with its very large battleline ships
it is unlikely that a new FSE CH will be introduced for several years.

Classification: Heavy Cruiser

Displacement: 8800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 88]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 26]
Crew:
14 officers, 74 ratings
[Crew Factor 5]

30

Armament:

2 x Class 1
3 x Class 2 batteries
2 Salvo Missile Launchers
with capacity 8 magazine
Defences:
2 Point Defence Systems
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

LASTROMARINE DES FSE

Systems Status
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Systems

Ypres class BATTLECRUISER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2170
Currently in FSE service: 17
Lost in action: 5
Decommissioned/scrapped: 4
Relegated to reserve fleet: 2
Sold to other forces: 10
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 3180 MUcr.

2
2

TMF: 96
NPV: 318

The Ypres BC is the forerunner of the Roma class BB, and is only very
slightly smaller. Although a good ship, it was never built in great
numbers and several are now being sold off to other navies. Most of the
Ypres' mission parameters can be met more cost-effectively by the Jerez
class CH, and as a result the Ypres' frontline service life is not expected
to extend past the late 2180s. The early production Ypres had a second
SML and larger magazine capacity, but almost all of the class still in
service have lost 1 launcher and some magazine space in favour of a
level-1 screen system as part of a 2176 refit following several losses to
the predominantly beam-armed ships of the NSL forces.

Systems Status
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1
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Battlecruiser
Displacement: 9600 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 96]
Average [Hull Integrity 29]
Hull type:
15 officers, 81 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 5]
2 x Class 1
Armament:
3 x Class 2 batteries

1 Salvo Missile Launcher

with capacity 6 magazine
3 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2172
Currently in FSE service: 25
Lost in action: 7
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: 5
Sold to other forces: 2
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 3770 MUcr.

TMF: 110
NPV: 377

2
2

Roma class BATTLESHIP

4
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

The Roma class is an uprated version of the Ypres class BC, with a small
increase in tonnage to accommodate a second SML system. New hull
production has stopped pending the introduction of a new BB class, though
delays in the design of the replacement are causing FSE naval command to
consider the ordering of several new Romas to replace combat losses. The
primary armament of twin SM launchers is backed up by a high magazine
capacity for extended engagements, but the class suffers somewhat from
underpowered drives in comparison with other FSE designs.

Classification: Battleship
Displacement: 11000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 110]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 33]
Crew:
18 officers, 92 ratings
[Crew Factor 6]
Armament:
2 x Class 1
5 x Class 2 batteries

31

2 Salvo Missile Launchers

with capacity 12 magazine
Defences:
4 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

LASTROMARINE DES FSE

SERVICE DETAILS:

Bonaparte class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT

First entered service: 2176

Currently in FSE service: 12
Lost in action: 2
Decommissioned/scrapped: Nil
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 1
Under construction: 3
Procurement cost: 5310 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Battledreadnought
Displacement: 16000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 160]
Average [Hull Integrity 48]
Hull type:
27 officers, 133 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 8]
Plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1, 3 x Class 2,
Armament:
1 x Class 3 batteries
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
with capacity 8 magazine
4 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar Bays: 1 bay for 6 Fighters

Systems Status
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Systems
1

Classification: Superdreadnought
Displacement: 25000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 250]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 75]
Crew:
41 officers, 209 ratings
[Crew Factor 13]
Plus Fighter pilots
Armament:
4 x Class 2,
2 x Class 3 batteries
3 Salvo Missile Launchers
with capacity 18 magazine
Defences:
6 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
5 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar Bays: 3 bays each holding
6 Fighters

2
3

TMF: 160
NPV: 531

In 2173, the FSE Naval command commissioned a major design programme for the Fleet's new heavy warships. The
result was a family of designs consisting of BDN and SDN classes, plus derived carriers (CVL and CVH). The Bonaparte
BDN was the first of the group to see service, with the name-ship being laid down in 2175 and commissioned into
service a year later. Following FSE standard doctrine, the class places great emphasis on speed and mobility - its huge
drives give it a thrust rating equal or better than many ships half its tonnage. There is a large jump in size between
the Roma BBs and the Bonaparte class, and some design studies have been carried out into a possible lighter version
of the Bonaparte to fill the Heavy Battleship slot that is currently occupied only by a few very elderly Garibaldi class
ships dating from the late 2130s.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Foch class SUPERDREADNOUGHT

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2181
Currently in FSE service: 9
Lost in action: 1
Decommissioned/scrapped: Nil
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 5
Procurement cost: 8550 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Systems Status
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3

2
2

TMF: 250
NPV: 855
A replacement for the ageing Chirac class DN which had been the mainstay of the FSE battleline
since in 2140s, the new Foch class far surpasses even the ESU Komarov dreadnoughts in size, while
retaining a level of drive power equivalent to many smaller ships of other nations. An impressive
and intimidating vessel, it nevertheless still has to prove itself in long term service. The class is
derived from the much smaller Bonaparte BDN, and like most FSE major units it relies heavily on an
extensive missile system as its primary armament.

32

LASTROMARINE DES FSE

SERVICE DETAILS:

Bologna class LIGHT CARRIER

First entered service: 2178

Currently in FSE service: 13
Lost in action: 3
Decommissioned/scrapped: 1
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 4
Procurement cost: 5800 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Light Carrier
Displacement: 17000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 170]
Average [Hull Integrity 51]
Hull type:
35 officers, 135 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 9]
Plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1,
Armament:
2 x Class 2 batteries
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
with capacity 6 magazine
4 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar Bays: 4 bays each holding
6 Fighters

Systems Status
Status Display
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Systems
1

TMF: 170
NPV: 580

The Bologna CVL is derived from the hull structure of the Bonaparte class BDN, with a major internal redesign to
accommodate the four fighter hangars and associated equipment. Most of the early teething troubles of the BDNs had
been worked out by the time the first Bolognas were commissioned, and the CVL design has taken advantage of this
experience to provide a reliable addition to the FSE fleet assets. Like the CVL classes of most navies, the Bologna has
space for four full fighter groups, but still retains sufficient offensive armament and passive and active defences to
stand in the battleline when necessary.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Fleet Carrier
Displacement: 28000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 280]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 84]
Crew:
46 officers, 234 ratings
[Crew Factor 14]
Plus Fighter pilots
Armament:
2 x Class 2,
2 x Class 3 batteries
1 Salvo Missile Launcher
with capacity 6 magazine
Defences:
6 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar Bays: 7 bays each holding
6 Fighters

Jeanne D'Arc class FLEET CARRIER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2182
Currently in FSE service: 5
Lost in action: 2
Decommissioned/scrapped: Nil
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 4
Procurement cost: 9550 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Systems Status
Status Display
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Systems
2

TMF: 280
NPV: 955
A development of the Foch class dreadnaughts, the Jeanne D'Arc class carriers are the newest major
ships in the FSE Naval inventory and are also some of the largest space warships ever constructed.
The Jeanne D'Arc has a large fighter capacity (7 full groups) but also carries a very comprehensive
suite of offensive and defensive weapon systems. Building of the class continues at the Merlon
navy yards, and is expected to be accelerated to replace the catastrophic loss of two ships from the
first production group to an NSL ambush at the disastrous battle of Neu Bremen.

33

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

THE EURASIAN SOLAR UNION STAR NAVY (VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT):
The ESU military space force is known in English as the Star Navy, in Russian as the Voyenno-Kosmicheskiy Flot (literally Military Space Fleet) and to the Chinese-speaking peoples
of the ESU as the Taikong Jiann Dwee. Most of their naval traditions are Russian in origin, and the usual acronym for the Navy is VKF; individual ships are prefixed VKK (for
Voyenno-Kosmicheskiy Korabl'). Merchant and civilian shipping of ESU registry is simply KK (Kosmicheskiy Korabl').
The VKF emblem is, like most ESU military symbology, based on the traditional red star with a gold outline; the ESU flag is the same star, again outlined in gold, on a red field.
HISTORY AND ORGANISATION:
The VKF was formally created in 2079 with the launch of the first Eurasian FTL warships, a few years behind the NAC. Even during the period of Chinese domination of the ESU, up
to the 2120s, most of the operation of the VKF was along Russian lines, as China had little more than coastal-defence navy traditions to draw on for experience.
The VKF is divided into several Sector Fleets based in different "Military Districts", each district being made up of a number of colonies. The Military Districts in the Core systems
and Inner Worlds are relatively small, with a single well-developed Inner Colony often being a District in its own right, while in the Outworld possessions a single District might
encompass as many as a dozen small, far-flung outposts and settlements. The main base for the bulk of the fleet is at the ESU Capital world of Nova Moskva, though the Chiang
Military District also has extensive base and shipyard facilities.
Many VKF personnel are conscripts, as they are in all the ESU armed forces, though others volunteer before being conscripted in the hope of a better career - a volunteer will
generally rise through the ranks higher and faster than a conscript. Morale on board ship is not exactly high, but it is steady; ESU citizens are brought up to love the Motherland,
and they feel a sense of honour in protecting it. VKF crew and officers, as in most navies, also feel that they are somewhat better than the other armed forces such as the ground
troops (though they will make an exception for their own marines, the Naval Infantry). Conditions on board ESU warships are mediocre at best, and are certainly not up to the
standard of NAC and FSE ships; accommodations are cramped (especially for the ratings), food is nutritious but unappetising, recreational facilities are very limited or nonexistent
and discipline is harsh.
SHIP DESIGN DOCTRINE:
Most VKF ships are almost exclusively beam-armed (their superdreadnoughts mounting some of the largest beam systems ever installed on a mobile platform), with salvo missile
systems used occasionally on a very few classes. Ships tend to be constructed with either inherently strong hulls, or have armour added over weaker basic construction; many
classes carry screens as a further passive defence. Mobility is average for most ships, with some light classes being very fast but the big ships having drives of thrust-2 or 4. The
majority of the VKF's fighters are operated from specialised carriers, but these ships generally have more offensive armament and tougher defences than NAC counterparts in
addition to their fighter complements. Many ESU ship designs, especially the Cruiser and small Capital types, are optimised for long-term independent operations.

Lenov class SCOUTSHIP

The Lenov class is the
standard ESU scout and
courier craft, and has also
been widely exported to
other nations. A very fragile
ship, the Lenov sacrifices
hull strength in order to
mount a powerful Main
Drive with a high thrust
rating. Like most scouts,
this design was never
meant to enter full-scale
combat, though some
refitted versions have been
reported mounting a single
submunition pack in place
of the class 1 beam system.

SERVICE DETAILS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

Scoutship
600 Tonnes [MASS Factor 6]
Weak [Hull Integrity 1]
2 officers, 4 ratings [Crew Factor 1]
1 x Class 1 battery

First entered service: 2160

Currently in ESU service: 132
Lost in action: 46
Decommissioned/scrapped: 33
Relegated to reserve fleet: 24
Sold to other forces: 58
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 210 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

TMF: 6
NPV: 21

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Nanuchka II class CORVETTE

The Nanuchka II has
now almost completely
replaced the older
Nanuchka I corvette, to
which it actually bears
very little similarity in
appearance. The
Nanuchka II is in fact a
completely new design
of vessel, and the
retaining of the
Nanuchka name is
thought to be either just
a quirk or a deliberate

None
Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 8,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Defences:
Sensor suite:

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2177
Currently in ESU service: 89
Lost in action: 25
Decommissioned/scrapped: 6
Relegated to reserve fleet: 4
Sold to other forces: 15
Under construction: 38
Procurement cost: 480 MUcr.

attempt at misinformation by the ESU naval intelligence bureau. The

new ships are built in the same production facility at the Nova
Gdansk yards that was responsible for the Novgorod FFs, and the
corvettes share several design features with their "older sisters".

TMF: 14
NPV: 48

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:
Armament:

34

Corvette
1400 Tonnes [MASS Factor 14]
Average [Hull Integrity 4]
4 officers, 10 ratings [Crew Factor 1]
1 x Class 1,
1 x Class 2 battery

Defences:
Sensor suite:

1 Point Defence System

Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

The Novgorod is just one of several
FF classes currently in ESU service,
including the older Riga class and
the newer Grisha and Kunitsa ships;
it is an unremarkable but practical
design and is frequently used on
convoy protection duties. The
Novgorod is moderately fast and has
a reasonable armament, but is also
quite a frail ship and cannot stand
extended combat against larger
units. Among other export sales,
ten second-hand Novgorods have
recently been transferred to the Pan
African navy, and an order for a
further six has been placed as new
construction to begin in 2184.

Novgorod class FRIGATE

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2168
Currently in ESU service: 54
Lost in action: 22
Decommissioned/scrapped: 19
Relegated to reserve fleet: 27
Sold to other forces: 17
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 730 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

TMF: 22
NPV: 73

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Frigate
Displacement: 2200 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 22]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 7]
6 officers, 16 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 2]

There are a lot of Warsaw class ships in

ESU service; designed at the outbreak of
the Third Solar War as a relatively cheap
and simple DD class to reinforce the Star
Navy's destroyer squadrons and replace
most of the long-obsolete Krivak class,
huge numbers were produced until the
beginning of the 2170s. Moderately
armed and protected, the Warsaw has
always served well, though it is not a
popular assignment for its crews accommodations are cramped and poor
even by ESU standards, to the point
where the ship has been referred to more
than once as the "Flying ghetto".

2 x Class 1,
1 x Class 2 batteries
1 Point Defence System
Defences:
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 6,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 28
NPV: 93

Classification: Destroyer
Displacement: 2800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 28]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 8]
Crew:
7 officers, 21 ratings
[Crew Factor 2]

2 x Class 1,
2 x Class 2 batteries
Defences:
1 Point Defence System
Grade 3 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2166
Currently in ESU service: 97
Lost in action: 31
Decommissioned/scrapped: 24
Relegated to reserve fleet: 35
Sold to other forces: 28
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 930 MUcr.

Warsaw class DESTROYER

35

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

TMF: 34
NPV: 115

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2176
Currently in ESU service: 32
Lost in action: 12
Decommissioned/scrapped: 7
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 10
Under construction: 18
Procurement cost: 1150 MUcr.

Volga class SUPER DESTROYER

The Volga is an enlarged

redesign of the much
older Warsaw DD, carrying
a better armament suite
and improved active
defences, though it has a
little less armour
protection than its
predecessor. The crew
facilities have been
upgraded somewhat over
the almost squalid
conditions aboard the
Warsaws, though it must
be said that the "Officers'
Country" rather than the
ordinary ratings' quarters
has received the bulk of
the improvements. Volgas
and Warsaws serve
together in most Star
Navy task forces, and
construction of the Volga
is continuing steadily at
the Nova Gdansk and
Chiang/D yards.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Classification: Super Destroyer

Displacement: 3400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 34]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 10]
8 officers, 26 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 2]

Tibet class LIGHT CRUISER

The Tibet is still the

standard CL design for the
Star Navy, despite being
twenty years old. It is a
practical and efficient
ship with a good balance
of offence and defence,
and is only very recently
being supplemented by
the new Kiang class
introduced in 2180. The
last Tibet hull left the
slips in 2175 after a
continuous production
run of 12 years - a long
period for a single
unchanged design - and
in 2178 the
manufacturing facility
was reactivated to begin
laying down the first of
the new Voroshilev class
Heavy Cruisers which
share several major
design features with the
old Tibets.

2 x Class 1,
3 x Class 2 batteries
2 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Grade 2 Armour
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire-control system
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Armament:

TMF: 48
NPV: 162

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2163
Currently in ESU service: 66
Lost in action: 31
Decommissioned/scrapped: 18
Relegated to reserve fleet: 12
Sold to other forces: 15
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 1620 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
2
1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Light Cruiser
Displacement: 4800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 48]
Hull type:
Average
[Hull Integrity 14]
Crew:
11 officers, 37 ratings
[Crew Factor 3]
Armament:
2 x Class 1,
3 x Class 2 batteries

Defences:

2 Point Defence Systems

Grade 3 Armour
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

36

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

The Beijing/B was essentially a new class created from the total refit of a large number of very elderly Beijing/A
CEs. The programme took place between 2158 and 2164, but the original Beijing/A hulls actually date from the
mid-2130s, making even the refitted Beijing/B an old ship that is in dire need of replacement. There is even a
handful of unconverted Beijing/A ships still serving in ESU reserve commands, though how many of these are
actually battleworthy is a debatable point. Several of the Beijing/Bs still in service are of a defensive closesupport variant which carries an ADFC system and four additional Point-Defence installations in place of the
single Class-3 beam system.

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2158
Currently in ESU service: 18
Lost in action: 23
Decommissioned/scrapped: 11
Relegated to reserve fleet: 29
Sold to other forces: 8
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 2010 MUcr.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 60
NPV: 201

Beijing/B class ESCORT CRUISER

Gorshkov class HEAVY CRUISER

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

Heavy Cruiser
7000 Tonnes [MASS Factor 70]
Average [Hull Integrity 21]
13 officers, 57 ratings
[Crew Factor 4]
Armament:
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
1 x Class 3 batteries
2 Salvo Missile Racks
Defences:
2 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Classification: Escort Cruiser

Displacement: 6000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 60]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 18]
12 officers, 48 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 3]
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
Armament:
1 x Class 3 batteries

2 Point Defence Systems

Grade 5 Armour
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Defences:

The Gorshkov CH was always an unusual design for the ESU Star Navy, in that it carried a pair of
expendable Salvo Missile racks rather than a purely beam-orientated armament suite. While this
gave the ship a very effective strike capability, the use of missiles did not really fit the standard
ESU operational doctrine - it was felt that the need for frequent missile replenishment in
extended combat was a liability, and limited the use of the class in long-range combat patrol
duties where fleet auxiliaries could not always be on hand for resupply. Despite these
shortcomings, the Gorshkov has acquitted itself well in its long service life and many that are
considered too old for frontline operations are being reassigned to the reserve rather than
decommissioned.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

2
3

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2155
Currently in ESU service: 27
Lost in action: 19
Decommissioned/scrapped: 13
Relegated to reserve fleet: 22
Sold to other forces: 14
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 2400 MUcr.

TMF: 70
NPV: 240

37

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

Voroshilev class
HEAVY CRUISER

The Voroshilev is one of the ESU's newest warship designs, and is

under a crash production programme to replace cruiser force losses
from the ongoing war. Voroshilevs are being assigned to most
frontline squadrons while the venerable Gorshkovs and other older
designs are being withdrawn and reallocated to defensive units and
reserve forces. Unlike the Gorshkov, the Voroshilev reverts to the
primary beam armament fit most commonly found in ESU vessels,
and as with the Tibet CL (with which it shares some basic
constructional components) it carries a moderate amount of
armoured hull protection in addition to a screen generator.

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2179
Currently in ESU service: 24
Lost in action: 7
Decommissioned/scrapped: 1
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 2
Under construction: 18
Procurement cost: 2620 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
3

1
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Battlecruiser
Displacement: 9400 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 94]
Hull type:
Strong [Hull Integrity 38]
Crew:
16 officers, 78 ratings
[Crew Factor 5]
Armament:
1 x Class 1, 3 x Class 2,
2 x Class 3 batteries
Defences:
2 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

TMF: 78
NPV: 262

Classification: Heavy Cruiser

Displacement: 7800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 78]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 23]
14 officers, 64 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 4]
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
Armament:
2 x Class 3 batteries

Manchuria class BATTLECRUISER

2 Point Defence Systems

Grade 5 Armour
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Defences:

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2171
Currently in ESU service: 19
Lost in action: 5
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: 6
Under construction: 8
Procurement cost: 3120 MUcr.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1
3

TMF: 94
NPV: 312

3
2
2

In the late 2160's the ESU Tsien-Valkov naval design bureau devised a new family of ship designs for the Star Navy
which would provide BC, BB and BDN classes, plus a new CVL, all based around common major hull components. Such
design practice is not unusual in most major navies to reduce both construction costs and development time, but this
was the first time that the ESU fleet had applied the principle to so many major units at the same time. All the classes
were originally planned for simultaneous introduction to service in 2171, but as always outside events and internal
politics intruded on the process and caused delays, so that the Manchuria BC was not joined by her cousins until 2172
(for the Petrograd BB) and 2174 (the Rostov BDN). The CVL variant, the Tsiolkovsky, was not launched until 2176.

38

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

Petrograd class BATTLESHIP

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2172
Currently in ESU service: 23
Lost in action: 4
Decommissioned/scrapped: 6
Relegated to reserve fleet: 2
Sold to other forces: 3
Under construction: 10
Procurement cost: 3860 MUcr.

TMF: 116
NPV: 386

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

3
2

3
2

1
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Essentially an expanded Manchuria BC hull, the Petrograd entered

service a year later than its smaller counterpart despite having
been designed at the same time. The Petrograd BB shares the
Manchuria's robust hull structure which, along with a screen
system, makes it a sturdy ship able to absorb considerable
punishment. As with many ESU ships, crew accommodations are
still rather cramped and spartan, but they are nevertheless a
considerable improvement on those aboard the old 2130's
Sverdlov class BBs that the Petrograd has largely replaced.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Classification: Battleship
Displacement: 11600 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 116]
Strong [Hull Integrity 46]
Hull type:
18 officers, 98 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 6]
3 x Class 1, 4 x Class 2,
Armament:
2 x Class 3 batteries
3 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.

Rostov class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT

1
2

2
2

TMF: 138
NPV: 458

SERVICE DETAILS:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

First entered service: 2174

Currently in ESU service: 16
Lost in action: 6
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: 3
Sold to other forces: 5
Under construction: 4
Procurement cost: 4580 MUcr.
(Plus fighter costs)

Classification: Battledreadnought
Displacement: 13800 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 138]
Hull type:
Strong
[Hull Integrity 55]
Crew:
20 officers, 118 ratings
[Crew Factor 7]
Plus Fighter pilots

39

Armament:

1 x Class 1, 3 x Class 2,
2 x Class 3 batteries
Defences:
3 Point Defence Systems
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 1 bay for 6 Fighters

The Rostov is the BDN class

of the "family" of ship
designs from the TsienValkov design bureau, which
began with the Manchuria
BCs at the start of the
2170s. All of the designs
are well armed and
protected, with good drive
power, and are giving the
ESU Navy a much-needed
boost in its strike
capabilities. As with most
BDNs, the Rostov carries a
single embarked fighter
group for both antishipping and ground
support operations. Five
built-to-order Rostovs were
exported to the Pan African
Union between 2178 and
79, to form the major
battleline strength of the
PAU's rapidly-expanding and
modernising navy; this sale
was purely a political move,
which somewhat upset the
ESU Admiralty who
(understandably) felt that
their own requirements for
replacement fleet units
should have taken priority.

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

Tsiolkovsky class LIGHT CARRIER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2176
Currently in service: 26
Lost in action: 5
Decommissioned/scrapped: 2
Relegated to reserve fleet: Nil
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: 7
Procurement cost: 5120 MUcr.
(Plus Fighter costs)

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

The Komarovs are old ships nearing the

end of their planned operational lives,
but are still the mainstay of the ESU
battleline. Heavy attrition factors and
damage to industrial capacity during
the years of the Third Solar War have
delayed the introduction of new major
fleet units to replace these ageing
vessels, and yet another refit
programme is planned for 2184 onwards
to extend the service life of the
Komarovs for a while longer. The
Komarov is one of only a handful of
warship classes to mount the very large
Class-4 beam batteries, these and its
extensive array of other beam weapons
giving the ship a huge offensive punch.
A strong hull and level-2 screens give a
good level of protection against most
weapons, but the ship carries only a
single fighter group compared to the
two of most other SDN classes.

Since the early 2170s,

the ESU Star Navy has
been concentrating its
carrier production efforts
on larger numbers of
smaller units, rather than
replacing the "dinosaurs"
like the Konstantin class.
Typical of the light
carrier approach is the
relatively new
Tsiolkovsky, another of
the Tsien-Valkov Bureau
designs, which combines
the benefits of a
moderate fighter capacity
with good defences, a
reasonable turn of speed
and an effective directfire offensive capability.
While they do not have
the degree of
survivability of the huge
old CVAs, their sheer
numbers permit flexible
fighter deployment in
areas where the ESU
major fleet units have
always been thinly
spread.

TMF: 150
NPV: 512

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification: Light Carrier
Displacement: 15000 Tonnes
[MASS Factor 150]
Average
Hull type:
[Hull Integrity 45]
24 officers, 126 ratings
Crew:
[Crew Factor 8]
Plus Fighter pilots

2 x Class 1,
4 x Class 2 batteries
4 Point Defence Systems
Defences:
Level 1 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 4,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 4 bays each holding
6 Fighters
Armament:

Komarov class SUPERDREADNOUGHT

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2154
Currently in ESU service: 11
Lost in action: 5
Decommissioned/scrapped: 3
Relegated to reserve fleet: 2
Sold to other forces: Nil
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 7510 MUcr.
(Plus fighter costs)

TMF: 220
NPV: 751

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

2
3

3
4

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

Armament:

Superdreadnought
22000 Tonnes [MASS Factor 220]
Strong [Hull Integrity 88]
35 officers, 185 ratings
[Crew Factor 11]
Plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1, 2 x Class 2,
4 x Class 3, 2 x Class 4 batteries

Defences:

4 Point Defence Systems

Level 2 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 2,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 1 bay holding 6 Fighters

40

ESU VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

The Konstantin CVA is a huge
ship, and was the largest massproduced warship class in service
until the recent introduction of
the FSE Jeanne D'Arc class
carrier. Like the Komarov SDN
from which its hull is derived,
the Konstantin is now an old
design, and its maintenance
requirements are getting higher
as the years pass - even the
newest Konstantin hulls are now
nearly twenty-five years old. The
ships have been kept up to date
with numerous minor refits and
refurbishments throughout their
service lives, and the
Konstantins are still very
effective units with a significant
offensive fire capacity in
addition to their fighter
complements.

Konstantin class ATTACK CARRIER

SERVICE DETAILS:
First entered service: 2156
Currently in ESU service: 12
Lost in action: 3
Decommissioned/scrapped: 5
Relegated to reserve fleet: 1
Sold to other forces: 1
Under construction: Nil
Procurement cost: 8420 MUcr.
(Plus fighter costs)

TMF: 240
NPV: 842

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1
3

2
3

1
3

2
3

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Classification:
Displacement:
Hull type:
Crew:

Armament:

Attack Carrier
24000 Tonnes [MASS Factor 240]
Average [Hull Integrity 72]
37 officers, 203 ratings
[Crew Factor 12]
Plus Fighter pilots
2 x Class 1, 4 x Class 2,
4 x Class 3 batteries

6 Point Defence Systems

Level 2 Screens
Sensor suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire-control systems
Drive systems: Main Drive rating 2,
FTL (Jump) Drive.
Hangar bays: 6 bays each holding
6 Fighters
Defences:

SHIP DATA PANELS

The preceding pages contain Ship Data Panels for the warships we have detailed in
this volume. Most of the information contained in each panel should be selfexplanatory, but a few notes may help.
SYSTEMS STATUS DISPLAY
This box, which is also referred to as the "Ship Diagram", is a graphic display of all the
systems fitted to the ship. The icons used are explained earlier in this book. This panel
should be photocopied to make up your own ship record charts for your games.
SERVICE DETAILS
This box contains a summary of the operational status and numbers of the ship class
in service - it has no bearing on gameplay (unless you are doing a VERY big campaign
game!), and is provided for background information only. The various figures in the
box are defined as:
First entered service:
Year in which first hull of class was commissioned into Navy service.
Currently in service:
Number of ships of class (including refits and minor variants) in active duty list with
nation's main fleet as of 2183.
Lost in action:
Number of ships of class posted as destroyed or missing in combat since introduction
of class; this figure does not include vessels scrapped due to battle damage.
Decommissioned/scrapped:
Number of ships of class that have been decommissioned from service and/or broken
up due to obsolescence or irreparable battle damage.
Relegated to reserve fleet:
Number of ships of class that have been taken out of frontline fleet duty and
transferred to reserve forces - includes "mothballed" units and ships transferred to
Training Commands or Colonial Defence Commands.
Sold to other forces:
Number of ships of class that have been sold, leased or otherwise transferred to other
national navies or independent colonial forces; this figure includes hulls built
specifically for export order as well as second-hand hulls.

Under construction:
Number of new or completely refitted hulls for naval service that are currently under
construction at nation's shipyards as of 2183; this figure also includes any hulls of class
currently being built commercially for navies of other nations.
Procurement cost:
The cost of construction of one ship of the class, adjusted to 2183 values - the amount
is given in MUcr, or Millions of Universal Credits (the standard international exchange
unit of currency).
[GAME NOTE: as you may have spotted, the Procurement Cost in MUcr is actually the ship's
Nominal Points Value x 10.]
THE TMF/NPV BOX
There is a small box in each ship's Data Panel that gives "TMF" and "NPV" for the ship.
These stand for (respectively): TOTAL MASS FACTOR and NOMINAL POINTS VALUE. The
TMF is the MASS of the ship design, and the NPV is the Points Cost of the ship
(excluding fighters and/or small craft costs in the case of ships with hangar facilities).
THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION BOX
This is a panel of notes and information on the ship class and its service history. Like
the Service Details box, much of this is of background interest only, though for some
classes there are mentions of certain common variants that can be used to generate
further ship designs for the game.
THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS BOX
This panel contains a written description of the systems fit of the ship class, listing all
the items found on the Ship Diagram. Note that the "weapons" section only lists the
number and class of each weapon, and not the arcs through which it may fire - that is
indicated by the icons on the Ship Diagram. The Displacement figure is the total
tonnage of the ship, which under the "official" background we take as 100 tonnes per
MASS factor.
THE SHIP ILLUSTRATION
The line drawing of each ship is an illustration of the relevant miniature in the Full
Thrust model starship range; the drawings are, of course, not to scale with each other!
Note that we do occasionally redesign or modify items in the miniature ranges, and in a
few cases the illustration may not be an exact representation of the model currently in
production.

41

MERCHANT & SUPPORT VESSELS

The ships on this page are a representative selection of generic Merchant and Civilian vessels suitable for convoy and commerce raiding scenarios, plus a
couple of typical naval Fleet Auxiliary ships that may be used in support of your combat fleet units. Please note that, being of a generic nature, these
designs do NOT specifically correspond to individual models in the Full Thrust starship miniature range, though the items in the "300" series miniatures line
may be used to represent many of the ships shown here. All the ships on this page (including the Fleet Auxiliary and the Assault Transport) follow the
MERCHANT rules regarding number of crew factors (and thus Damage Control Parties), in having one CF for every FIFTY Mass or part thereof.

HEAVY FREIGHTER

Mass 120 195 Points

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
H H H H
21 21 21 20

2
LIGHT FREIGHTER

H
7

A representative example of the

dozens of larger freighter classes that
ply the spacelanes under the flags of
many nations; such ships also serve
in all star navies as replenishment
and general transport ships, either as
full-time naval auxiliaries or
requisitioned from merchant service
in times of need. The fitting of a
single PDS system is typical of both
those ships in naval service and of
merchant craft operating outside the
safety of the Core systems.

H
7

H
6

Mass 80 131 Points

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
H H H H
14 14 14 13

Mass 40 67 Points

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
H
7

MEDIUM FREIGHTER

FREE TRADER

A small freight ship of a type

commonly used by independent
operators, as well as by major lines to
cover marginal routes. It has a very
fragile hull structure, and is certainly
not intended to ever enter combat,
reserving most of its mass for cargo
space.

Mass 20 47 Points

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

H
2

H
2

H
2

H
2

FLEET AUXILIARY

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

H H H H
14 14 14 14

Mass 100 193 Points

ASSAULT TRANSPORT

This kind of ship, typified by the NAC

"Blue Ridge" class and the FSE
"Durance" class, is a fleet support
vessel used for carrying supplies of
foodstuffs, ammunition and other
expendables for warships during
extended missions. While patrol ships
will generally return to their base
stations for replenishment,
operational task forces will always
have several Fleet Auxiliaries
accompanying them for resupply.

T
8

T
8

The Free Trader is a very small

freighter that is usually operated by a
single owner or small partnership.
Such ships usually haul low-volume,
high-value goods (sometimes of
questionable legality) and compete
with the major freight lines by
offering a fast service with few
questions asked. Most operators tread
a very fine line between profit and
loss, and are often found dodging
both police/customs services and
their own financiers.

Mass 120 337* Points

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
5

Another typical ship, this time a

medium-sized merchant as used by
many commercial shipping lines and
naval forces. In common with most
merchant shipping it has lowpowered drives (at least compared
with military vessels). The PDS
battery would not normally be carried
by merchant traffic between the
major settled worlds, but is common
for ships operating in more uncertain
areas.

T
8

T
8

This is a typical example of the

Assault Transports used by all major
fleets for the carrying and orbital
insertion of ground troops to
disputed planets; the ship is
reasonably well protected and is
designed to operate in hostile areas.
Four assault dropships allow fast
deployment of the troops and
equipment carried. The actual specs
here are for the NAC "Galahad" class
ships, though others such as the ESU
"Ropucha" class are very similar.
*337 + 40 points for Dropships =
377 total cost

BULK CARRIER

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
H H H H
38 37 37 37

Mass 200 303 Points

STARLINER

Basically nothing more than a huge

tin can with a drive package at one
end and a command module at the
other, Bulk Carriers are used for slow
hauling of large amounts of goods
between star systems. They are not
usually seen in naval service, but this
example is sporting a PDS installation
as a token defence in view of the
ongoing war situation. Converted
bulk carriers are often used as colony
transports to ship settlers (in very
basic conditions) to new worlds.

Mass 120 205 Points

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

P P P P
20 20 20 20

42

A typical example of a luxury Star

Liner used to carry the more wealthy
travellers between settled worlds. The
installed weapons and defences suite
is of limited effect should the ship
actually come under attack, but is
there as much for the reassurance of
the passengers as for actual use.
Passage on a ship of this sort is
expensive and luxurious, but they are
also high-value targets for
propaganda purposes and are usually
heavily escorted in times of war.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
THE BACKGROUND
The setting for the forces described in this book is, of course, the latter part of the
Third Solar War from the official background timeline given in Full Thrust. The NAC,
NSL, FSE and ESU are the four largest spacefaring human power blocs, and at the point
that we have chosen in the timeline they have been at war with each other for
eighteen years (the Third Solar War started in 2165 and has dragged on ever since).
The NAC and NSL are nominally allied with each other, as are the FSE and ESU,
though individual territorial claims and disagreements through the years of the war
have meant that even these allies have skirmished between themselves at certain
times. The nature of communication and travel between star systems forces local
commanders to take (and be allowed) a great deal of personal initiative rather than
always waiting for direct orders from higher authority, which gives rise to some
unusual confrontations and misunderstandings in disputed areas. Virtually all the
human minor powers and nations are involved in the war as well, either supporting
one or the other of the major sides or simply looking for opportunities to turn local
situations to their own advantage.
The war has become one of stalemate and attrition, with forces skirmishing through
dozens of star systems punctuated by the occasional burst of large-scale fleet
operations as one side or the other attempts a major thrust to alter the balance of the
situation. The navies (and other forces) of all the combatants have suffered heavy
losses in the years of war, and their industrial capacities are struggling to replace the
ships and other equipment lost in combat.
As the timeline reaches 2183, things are about to change radically as humanity
discovers that it is NOT alone in the universe after all.......

LIFE ABOARD SHIP IN THE 2180s

Space is REALLY, REALLY BIG - and really empty. This incomprehensible bigness and
emptiness does strange things to the human mind. It is bad enough in-system, even
though you can still see that one star is bigger than the rest and this gives you some
tenuous link to those grubby little balls of dirt we call planets. Out in interstellar space,
however, things get really empty. You spend a LOT of time out between the stars, in the
Deep Cold, drifting along sub-light between Jumps while the ship and your body get ready
for the next dislocation. Even if your ship is part of a fleet or convoy, you are probably
half a light-year apart, and you wont see them again till you make the little corrective
jumps at the end of the trip. Something in your mind keeps saying that if the Jump
doesnt work then youll just keep drifting, and maybe if you are really lucky then your
mummified remains will get to see another star in a thousand years or so.....
Service on a starship, whether Navy or merchant, is much like that on a 20th Century
submarine - long periods of little to do except routine chores and drills, close
proximity of other personnel, little privacy and absolutely nothing to see outside. It is
accepted that crews need as much recreational opportunity as possible, and as such
efforts are made in most forces to channel their energies into non-disruptive hobbies
and interests while clamping down hard on alcohol abuse (certain amounts are quite
legal while off-duty, as anti-intoxicant medication is freely available and very
effective) and recreational pharmaceuticals. Even the average lowly spacehand is
generally well educated and technically adept, which at times can be a mixed blessing
for the Petty Officers who maintain order below decks.
Day-to-day life aboard ship is usually made as pleasant as possible for the crew,
although cost and space limitations obviously affect this to a greater extent in some
ship classes that others. Ships designed for long-range patrol duties and extended
operations will often have better crew facilities that those that are intended for
operations closer to main fleet bases. While it is generally accepted that a comfortable
and happy crew is an efficient crew, differing national doctrines and attitudes affect
the provision of crew facilities - NAC and FSE vessels are (in general) particularly wellappointed and their designers have devoted considerable effort to crew comfort and
recreational facilities; those of the NSL are rather more utilitarian (though not
unpleasant) while many of the ESU ships are positively spartan and cramped.
On most warships, the ratings will live in communal quarters, while Petty Officers and
above will have individual staterooms, though on some ships junior and cadet officers
may share wardroom quarters. The Captain will usually have a suite consisting of main
(sleeping) cabin, day cabin (normally with direct access to Bridge and/or TacOps) and
adjoining quarters for his/her personal steward.

Almost all major navies have both male and female personnel serving together, and
the general breaking down of many taboos and prejudices among most societies over
the preceding two centuries has removed a lot of the problems that would have arisen
in earlier times. Crew of both sexes (and all orientations) share the same
accommodations and facilities, and though fraternisation between crew members is
not actually officially encouraged it is generally accepted provided it does not
compromise ship operation or security - the official line in most forces takes the form
of we cant stop it, so we may as well regulate it. Attention of a personal nature,
whether welcomed or not, that strays over the demarcation between officers and
enlisted personnel IS still seen as a potential problem and is officially prohibited in
most fleets.

GRAVITY AND GRAVITIC COMPENSATORS

While the principles of gravitic manipulation and artificial gravity have been
understood and proven since the early 2080s, it was the beginning of the 2100s before
gravitic equipment became viable on a commercial scale and practical for installation
aboard spacecraft. Prior to this, the primitive starships and systemships in use were
reliant on centrifuge sections for internal gravity, and were limited in their
acceleration to the gee forces that their crews could withstand without injury. The
first starship to be built with gravitic compensators as standard equipment was
actually civilian, not military - the luxury star liner MSS Windsor, operated by CunardWestford Lines and launched in 2104. The first grav-equipped warships were the NAC
RNs Dominator class Battleships, first commissioned in 2107. Once started, the
changeover to gravitic-compensated ships was rapid in most navies as the older ships
were no match for the new vessels that could out-accelerate them by a huge factor,
but even so it was many years before the last of the old centrifuge ships were
decommissioned - the RN Reserve still had a few of the 2090s-built Caledon class BCs
on the semi-active list as late as 2150. There are still thought to be a handful of turnof-the-Century ships operating in minor navies today, though most of these have likely
been retrofitted with compensators by now.
Gravitic compensators allow ships to manoeuvre at the high gee rates necessary for
combat situations without reducing the crew to red smears on the bulkheads, but
though they are effective even the current fourth-generation gravitics are far from
perfect - they cannot maintain an exact one-gee field perpendicular to the deckplates
while the ship is being thrown through battle turns and trying to evade incoming
missiles. Thus, moving around inside a ship under battle manoeuvring conditions is
difficult and dangerous; the only personnel that will normally attempt it are damagecontrol parties, who are suited and armoured to withstand being thrown into
bulkheads and fittings as the internal gee-field fluctuates.
Operations crew in vital areas such as the Bridge, TacOps, Engineering and Gunnery are
cushioned in shock couches and protected by crash frames. All the crew, whether at
combat stations or (in the case of personnel not required while in action) strapped
down in their quarters, will experience some very strange and nauseating sensations as
the compensators try their best to cancel the manoeuvre forces; to the human inner
ear, the effects are like a high-speed elevator moving in several directions at once, or
the worst fairground rides. Most personnel adapt to the situation fairly quickly, but
some do not....
Out of combat, the compensators are used to effectively negate the much gentler gee
effects of normal manoeuvring, while grav-generators in the deck plates provide an
approximately one-gee environment for movement around much of the ship. There are
still areas that are not provided with grav plates, sometimes deliberately but more
often as a cost and power saving measure; such areas will include boat bays, cargo
holds and some engineering spaces, as well as specific zero-gee recreation areas and
similar.
Corridors and companionways linking zero-gee and one-gee parts of the ship are
provided with Gee-Locks, special zones of passageway (usually with doors at each
end) along whose length the gravity gradient is steadily increased; this helps to
prevent personnel suddenly discovering that the ceiling of the zero-gee space
theyve just come from has become the floor of the one-gee zone they are entering,
with the consequent risk to health and of the amusement of other crew members.
[Game note: the Compensators and Grav Generators do NOT need to be purchased or
installed separately during the ship design process; they are assumed to be an integral
part of the Main Drive package.]

Crew recreational facilities vary from ship to ship and nation to nation, but a welloutfitted vessel will have gymnasium facilities (both zero and one-gee), holovid
theatre and various other rest and recreation areas. Food for both crew and officers is
generally as good and varied as possible, using fresh produce from the ships
hydroponics systems to supplement frozen, dried and recycled ingredients. Even the
smallest scoutships (sometimes with only three or four crew) are usually outfitted with
conventional galley facilities, as prepacked or machine-dispensed rations on extended
missions have long since been found to be extremely detrimental to crew morale.

43

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SHIPS OPERATION:
Standard timekeeping on warships follows Earth-standard 24 hour days, divided into
six 4-hour watches; First Watch is 0000-0400, Second from 0400-0800, then 08001200, 1200-1600, 1600-2000 and 2000-0000. Sixth Watch is designated the Evening
watch, and First and Second the Night watches. The day-night pattern is enhanced
by lowered illumination in non-essential areas during the night watches, unless under
combat conditions.
Much of the ships operation both in and out of combat is handled by pseudointelligent computer systems, but actual command remains in the hands of human
officers. Experiments with allowing the computers to run the whole show, especially in
battle, have generally resulted in utter destruction to BOTH forces. The capacity of a
human Captain to work on instinct and to outguess his or her opponent is most often
the deciding factor in an otherwise even match, and attempts to replicate this by
using true AIs (Artificial Intelligences, truly self-aware computers rather than just
close simulations of sentience) have universally ended in disaster. Much the same
applies to the small fighter craft, which usually have a crew of between one and
three depending on type; experiments with totally unmanned drone fighters have
proven that, although cost-effective in some situations, they are no match for the
instincts of a human pilot. Despite the high attrition rate of fighter crews in combat,
there is never any shortage of willing recruits attracted by what they see as the
glamour of being a fighter jock.
Warship crew complements are not all that large, as most ship functions require
relatively little manpower (except when something goes wrong). A fair proportion of a
ships complement will be engineering crew for damage-control purposes, embarked
Marines and ships security troops, plus cooks, medical personnel and the like. To take
a typical example, an NAC Victoria class Battleship has a full complement of 18
Officers (of which 8 are Line-of-Command officers, and the rest department specialists)
and 102 Ratings. In addition the ship has accommodation for an embarked platoonsize Marine Combat Team who, when carried, will double as security personnel. Of the
102 ordinary crewmen and women, 24 are operations crew, 47 are assigned to
engineering and DC functions while the remainder are general and supernumerary
personnel (galley staff, sickbay orderlies, auxiliary craft crew, general deckhands
etc.).
Under extreme circumstances, one command officer and a handful of operations staff
and engineering personnel could theoretically fly and fight the ship, albeit with little
capacity to respond to damage taken in battle.
Weapons fire direction is generally at the direct orders of the Captain from his combat
station on the Bridge; in the case of his incapacitation it devolves to the First Officer
in TacOps. Individual weapon turrets and defence installations on the hull are not
manned as such, but are remotes controlled from the Gunnery command centre;
commands from the Captain are relayed to Gunnery by the senior Tactical Officers
station on the bridge. The Tactical Operations compartment (TacOps) acts as a
collection and collation point for sensor information and communications, which are
then relayed to the Captains station in a condensed and usable form; TacOps is fully
equipped to take over as a reserve bridge and con the ship in the event of the main
command bridge being disabled.
In the event of imminent destruction or disabling of the ship, the crew can abandon
the vessel in a number of lifepods located around the hull structure - all crew stations
have a lifepod bay within easy reach, and most ship designs provide enough for the
entire complement plus additional redundant pods in case some are lost to hull
damage. A typical pod is intended to hold between ten and twelve personnel, though
up to twenty can be accommodated in extreme circumstances. Outfitted with life
support and recycling systems, packaged emergency food and medical supplies, a basic
sublight propulsion system and a very powerful homing beacon, a standard lifepod can
keep its normal complement alive for approximately six weeks in reasonable conditions
plus a maximum of another six weeks under steadily increasing discomfort and
unpleasantness. Most lifepods are equipped with an ablative heatshield and parachutes
for a controlled landing on any planet that they might be able to reach.
SHIP ALERT STATES
Alert States on NAC vessels (to take a typical example- most navies use something very
similar) are:
WHITE (DOCKSIDE) - used when ship is tied up to an orbital facility - most of ships
systems powered down, and a skeleton watch crew maintained while the remainder of
the complement are permitted shore leave. Average time to power up to Green status
is three to four hours, not including time for the recall of off-ship crew members.
GREEN (STANDARD RUNNING) - general non-combat status used when vessel is
travelling or in a patrol orbit. All systems functional, but weapons and active defences
are under command lock. Standard rotation of duty watches for operations personnel,
none are suited-up. Average time to move to Yellow One status is ten minutes.

YELLOW ONE (STANDBY ALERT) - semi-alert status, with essential Bridge and
Engineering crew in open suits and modified watch rotation. Senior command officer
(Captain, First or Second Officer) on Bridge at all times. All offensive and defensive
systems powered-up, but still under command lock. Non-operations personnel on
normal duties. Average time to move to Yellow Two status is ten minutes.
YELLOW TWO (GENERAL QUARTERS) - heightened alert: as Yellow One but all crew to
combat stations in open suits. Average time to move to Red status is three minutes.
RED (BATTLE ALERT) - full combat alert status; all crew at combat stations, Bridge,
TacOps, Gunnery and Engineering personnel in sealed suits and locked into crash
frames, DC parties suited and on standby. Captain and Second Officer on Bridge, First
Officer in TacOps. All weapons systems command locks removed, weapons held on
Captains voice command only. Internal gee-plates off, gravitic compensators and drive
systems at full battle manoeuvring readiness. Generally, Red status can be held for
around six hours at a time before serious degradation of crew efficiency through
fatigue will become a problem.
BLUE (JUMP STATIONS) - a special alert state used only when securing the ship for
Jumpspace transit. All internal gravity and non-essential systems (virtually everything
except lifesupport, control systems and the Jump drive itself) are shut down, and all
personnel are at their designated positions - usually in quarters for all except
Engineering and Bridge crews. The Jump Stations call is normally sounded
approximately thirty minutes before a planned Jump, but in an emergency a good crew
can usually make it to Jump Stations within as little as ten minutes.

JUMPSPACE TRAVEL
Interstellar travel is performed in a series of short (in relative terms) jumps through
a timeless quasi-reality generally called Jumpspace. Each jump (which is also variously
referred to as a Shift, Shoot or Transit) moves the ship by anything from a few
lightminutes to several lightyears*, depending on the energy put into the drive at the
moment of jump and the proximity of the ship to gravitational influences - the deeper
in a gravity well the ship is when the drive is engaged, the shorter the resulting jump.
There is a definite limiting distance from any given gravity well that inhibits safe
jumping within it - a ship must move to outside this limit before engaging the Jump
Drive or risk serious mishap (at best a misjump or drive failure, at worst total
destruction).
The actual jump is perceived by the ships occupants as instantaneous, but leaves a
deep subconscious memory of disturbing change in the fabric of reality - as though the
recesses of the human mind can actually register the transition that the conscious
levels cannot. This effect causes nausea and disorientation after the jump, which if
untreated can last for as much as several hours in some cases; for this reason most
Military crews use specialised drugs to minimise the aftereffects and ensure that the
ship is combat-ready as fast as possible after jump emergence, especially if several
jumps need to be made in relatively quick succession. Civilian vessels and those on
less pressing schedules will spread out the jumps to perhaps one every couple of days,
and most personnel and passengers will undergo jump asleep in their cabins with just
a skeleton bridge crew overseeing the automatics conning the jump.
The fastest cycle possible is around one jump per six hours, but this requires military
drives and power plants along with the most sophisticated jump navigation software
and tremendous crew stamina, even with chemical assistance. On average, naval
vessels on most missions will make no more than one jump per day.
The longer the jump, the greater the potential inaccuracy in both the distance
travelled and the final emergence point. For this reason, most interstellar journeys
begin with a couple of short jumps (necessary to fully clear the gravity well of the
starting starsystem) followed by a number of longer transits to bring the ship within a
few lightdays of the destination system. The vessel will then make a number of
successively shorter jumps, each of increasing accuracy, to place it as near as possible
to its eventual target. The final approach, under Normal Space propulsion, can then
take anything from a few hours to several days depending on the accuracy of the last
jump insystem and how fine the jump navigator dares to cut the gravitational limit.
When moving a fleet of ships together, the potential errors in the long mid-course
jumps mean that it is highly unlikely that all the fleet will remain together throughout
the journey - in fact at most of the between-jump periods each ship will be completely
isolated from the rest by huge distances. For precise military operations, therefore, it
is normal practice for the fleet to re-assemble well out of the target system and then
proceed insystem in a succession of much shorter than normal jumps in order to
maintain some semblance of cohesive formation.
* The longest verified controlled jump (i.e.: excluding random misjumps) to date was in
2177, when the NAC experimental fast courier RNS Hyacinth attained a realspace
displacement of 7.328 light years in a single Jumpspace transit. The ship and its crew of
five were unfortunately lost in an apparent misjump when attempting to beat this record
in the following year.

44

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
J MINUS 30 says the readout on the main bridge screen.

J MINUS 5

The bridge is at zero-gee, and everything on the ship is powered down

except the Jump drives and minimal life-support. The ship status board is
lit blue, showing Jump Stations - around me, the bridge crew are suited-up
and strapped into their crash frames. The Nav systems have orientated the
axis of the Jump field with our plotted destination, with millimetric
precision. I settle myself deeper into the soft cushioning of the command
chair and try to get my racing heartbeat under control. Breathe, breathe,
slow and even... God, how I hate Jump.....

The bridge fills with an electric haze; my skin prickles, and I feel the Jump
fields surging through the ship - she groans and squirms like a live thing.
Gripping the armrests too tightly - relax, let go. Fleeting images, as always
- crazy thoughts of the old spacers horror tales, of those who came
through Jump without their minds, their souls lost to the Deep Cold.... Our
Father, Who Art In........

J MINUS 20
The ship says Captain, please authorise final manual interlock release; I
move my index finger to touch three holokeys in sequence. The ship says
Thank you, Sir; all systems transferring to Jump computers, I am now
going offline. and the main bridge screen reads Manual interlock
released - main Jump sequencer online; all stations reading go, all prejump
checks nominal, final countdown initiating, then flicks back to the
dwindling count. Everything is on automatics now - dumb computers that
will decide if we jump or abort. The ships main pseudo-sentient brain is
even more at risk from the strangeness of Jump than we humans are, so it
shuts itself down for the transit and then reboots on the other side. From
this point, were all just along for the ride.
J MINUS 10
I can feel the Jump Drugs that I swallowed a few minutes ago starting to
take hold of my system. They dont make the transit itself any easier, but
they are supposed to pull you out of the bad effects quicker on the other
side. Sometimes I wonder if they do anything at all, or if they are just a
sugar pill that the medics TELL us will help..... We dont belong in
Jumpspace, and it doesnt like having bits of our reality shoved into it. The
Jump field will pull us in, through the interface that I dont think even the
scientists understand, and we'll be squeezed along between two realities
like an orange pip between your fingers. The amount of energy we have
pumped into the field will determine - at least roughly - how far we
travel before Jumpspace throws us out again. Thats the theory anyway its just that sometimes Jumpspace will chew you around a bit before it
spits you out.....

J ZERO
Jump sucks us in.....
Going nowhere and everywhere, very, very fast.
No time, no space.
A non-moment that lasts for eternity.
And spits us out......
J ZERO
...Heaven, hallowd be Thy....Out, out, down again......
Disorientation, then gradual realisation. My mind works, my memory is still
there, please dont let me throw up.....
The drugs seem to be kicking in, dragging me back - no, GO AWAY, I want
to sleep.....
J PLUS 20
My eyes are focusing, can just make out the main screen: Jump sequence
terminated. Initial positioning scans indicate navigational accuracy
94.45%. Initiating postjump diagnostics and staged shutdown of drive
units, returning command to realspace systems. The ships brain wakes
from its short sleep: Main cortex reboot successful; Personality reconstruct
at 25%...50%....75%...completed. Projected recharge cycle time for next
Jump: 5 hours 48 minutes. Hello, Sir, its nice to be back.
J PLUS 60
Starting to really wake up now, slowly clearing my mind. The older I get
the worse it seems, some of these kids on the bridge are up and about
already! Ive lost count of the Jumps Ive made, but its still as bad as the
first time. Less than six hours before the next one, I need some coffee.....

INTRODUCTION TO JUMP THEORY

From a lecture presented at Down University, Albion, by Dr. James Alvarez, Capt. NAVFLT SCI (Retd.), June 2179.

Jumpspace, Hyperspace, Subspace - whatever you call it, it doesnt like bits of
our reality being shoved into it. Push a ship in, and Jumpspace will spit it out
again - the good bit is that it will spit you out somewhere else (hopefully round
about where you want to be, if youve done your math right), and all in zero
elapsed time! Of course, every now and then itll chew you around a bit before
spitting you out, but we try not to think about that too much....
The human mind doesnt like Jumpspace any more than the space likes us; we
can take it, especially with the right drugs to help, though most of the time its
pretty unpleasant unless youre well asleep - a few people claim to even enjoy it,
but then some enjoy some pretty weird things anyway. If youre unlucky (and
whatever the shipping lines or Navy recruiting tell you, every now and then
someone is) then you stand a small chance of coming out thinking youre
Napoleon, thats if you can think at all.
Some people think that they feel time passing while they are transiting
Jumpspace, but we generally put this down to their own imaginations after the
event - no-one has ever managed to record a measurable time interval between
Jump entry and exit. I met an old spacer once who claimed he had actually SEEN
the inside of Jumpspace, but this WAS after nine hellburners in the Chrome
Angel over on Farren.....
Lets get one thing clear at the outset - we dont really KNOW how Jump
operates. Weve been using it for over a century and even our top physicists and
their AIs cant figure out what is actually going on. However, just because we

dont understand it doesnt stop us using it, just like your parents programming
the holovid recorder.....
What we do know is that the state of Jump is inherently unstable - we think it is
actually an interface between two different types of space, ours and something
else. Just what is on the other side of Jumpspace we have no idea, but we
assume that is where ships end up if they misjump really badly - they fall
through the other side of the Jumpspace interface and come out somewhere
that has no connection with our reality. Since no-one has yet come back to tell
us what is there, we are a bit in the dark on this one!
On a proper controlled Jump, the drive field creates a temporary access to
Jumpspace that we can push the ship through; the ship then slides along the
interface until it drops back into our reality again. We know how to do this so
we can predict roughly where we will pop out, with an error probability that is
about proportional to the distance we are trying to jump- basically, the more
energy you pump into the drive field relative to your ship mass the further (in
realspace terms) you go before Jumpspace gets pissed off with you and chucks
you out, and fortunately it all happens in a straight line, so you can aim at your
target point before jumping. Of course, that means you have to know exactly
where your target point really is at that moment, which is why you people are
going to spend the next three years studying Jump navigation!
Maybe someday well meet someone out there who has actually figured it all out,
and if we ask them very nicely then they might just explain it to us.....

45

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SHIP RECORD CHARTS
The new-style SHIP RECORD CHART is printed on P.47 of this book; it is an updated
version of the one given in the basic FT rulebook, with Ship Diagram blanks to suit the
new design system. Feel free to copy this chart and cut-and-paste the diagrams
around to suit your own forces. To prepare a ship record chart for any of the fleets
listed in this volume we recommend photocopying the Ship Diagrams (System Status
Displays) from the Data Panels of the ships you want to use, and arranging them
suitably on a sheet of paper along with the order panel from the bottom of the
record chart blank, then re-copying the result. Sorry we couldnt provide ready-made
sheets for each different fleet, but for one thing they would almost never match any
one persons miniature force and for another they would take up half the book!
While on the subject of copy-and-cut-out bits, we have also provided a few counter
masters for Missile Salvoes (the counters with little missile icons on them - there are
ones with from 1 to 6 missiles, which can if desired be used to indicate how many
missiles are left in a salvo after each stage of defensive fire if you cant remember it!),
for Fighter Group recording (endurance remaining and number left in group) and for
Course Markers for the vector movement system (the counters with a single bold
arrow). Feel free to copy as many of these as you like (for personal use only please) we recommend copying them onto coloured card if possible.

FINAL COMMENTS
We hope that you will find this book useful for your games of FULL THRUST, whether
or not you actually use the background provided.
There a quite a few changes in this volume to the original FT system, though as weve
already mentioned not many of them really affect the gameplay much - most are on
the design side, something that many players may happily ignore if they wish to use
only pregenerated ship designs.
So, why make any changes at all to such a successful system?
Well, quite simply we thought it was about time for a revamp. FULL THRUST (firstly
the little A5 photocopied edition, then the glossy 2nd edition that most of you will
know) was written quite a while ago, and frankly we never expected it to be the
phenomenal success that it has become, with thousands of buyers and players in all
corners of the world. FT has won the Best SF Miniatures Rules award from the SFSFW
(Society of Fantasy and Science-Fiction Wargamers) for every year since the inception
of the Society (just before going to press we heard that it has won the 1998 ballot as
well!), and in 1995 got to the nominations stage (no mean feat in itself) of the
ORIGINS awards!
Through all this, however, it has always been apparent that there are a number of
flaws and loopholes in the system - this was never a problem while it was just being

VECTOR
MARKERS

MISSILE SALVO
MARKERS
6

played by a few friends locally, but now it has a much wider audience some of these
discrepancies are causing endless debates and disputes between players. Thankfully
most of you settle things amicably with a house-rule tweak or two, which is exactly
the way we like to see things done; a few of the real rules lawyers, however, seem
to enjoy endlessly prolonging the debates as well as trying to twist and exploit every
loophole to their best advantage.
We addressed a few of the more obvious problems when we published the MORE
THRUST supplement book, but at best all we did was give suggestions to patch the
holes with duct tape and baling wire; at that stage we did not want to make major
revisions to key rules and systems. Now, however, we felt that a proper rework was
justified. As the biggest problems were in the design system, this was the main target
for the updating - after fiddling with it for a good while we decide to simply go for a
ground-up reworking that kept all the essentials of the old system but presented a
more logical and seamless mechanism. The minimaxers will probably still find
SOMETHING to exploit, but at least it stops them getting bored and lets the rest of us
get on with playing games and having fun...!
Revising any game with the popular following that FT has is a tricky and risky
business. No matter how it turns out, you will ALWAYS get a section of players who
say oh, it isnt as good as second edition, why didnt they leave it alone...
Well, to those people we say If you dont like the new rules, stick with the old ones!
Were not going to do like certain companies and excommunicate you for ever if you
are not using the latest official rules. Weve done our best to ensure that the
modified FT is every bit as good as the original, and hopefully lots better still - none
of the changes are being made for the sake of change alone; they are all to tighten up
the system, plug a few holes and make the game (we sincerely hope) even more fun to
play.
Our intention is that there will be a full new edition of the rules, FULL THRUST THIRD
EDITION, at some point in the near(ish) future, which will collect together all the new
rules published here plus a lot more as well. There are many things that we havent
covered at all in this volume due to lack of both space and time, that we will be
including in the new edition rulebook. Itll be out as and when time and workload
permits, so please dont pester us too much for it - well advertise it in good time
when it is ready!
We have tried as far as possible to ensure that this book you are now reading is
compatible with both the existing 2nd Edition FT and with the new version when it
comes out. We always welcome feedback on the rules, and player input has helped a
great deal in shaping the game so far - please feel free to send us your comments (we
will reply if and when possible, provided an SSAE or a couple of IRCs are enclosed, but
please understand that we are still a very small business and often things are simply
too busy for us to respond to everything).
Have fun, and above all: DONT PLAY THE RULES, PLAY THE GAME!
Jon Tuffley, GROUND ZERO GAMES, April 1998.

FIGHTER GROUP
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COMBAT ENDURANCE
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CEF

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CEF

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CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING

REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING

REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING

REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING

REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING REMAINING

1998 GZG. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use

46

ID:

Name:

ID:

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ID:

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1998 GZG. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use

FULL THRUST STARSHIP MINIATURES

The FULL THRUST Starship Miniatures line now includes over 130 different models. The
range, originally manufactured by CMD, is now owned and produced by GZG, and we
are steadily expanding the line with new items. For sales in the UK, Europe and the
rest of the world (excepting N. and S. America and Australasia), please contact GZG at
the address given below for ordering and latest release information. Customers from
USA, Canada or S. America should contact Geo-Hex (address below) who produce the
range under licence for the American market; customers in Australasia should contact
Eureka Miniatures, who are our licensee for that region.
CONTACT ADDRESSES:
UK/Europe etc: GROUND ZERO GAMES,
PO BOX 337, NEEDHAM MARKET, SUFFOLK IP6 8LN, UK.
Tel: 01449 722322. Email: jon@gzg.com
USA/Canada/S. America: GEO-HEX,
2126 NORTH LEWIS, PORTLAND, OREGON 97227, USA.
Tel: +503-288-4805. Email: geohex@teleport.com
Australasia: EUREKA MINIATURES,
10 WOORAYL STREET, CARNEGIE, VICTORIA 3136,
AUSTRALIA. Tel: +3-9568-4085. Email: nicr@eurekamin.com.au
The following list gives details and prices for UK availability of the FT miniature range,
correct at time of going to press (April 1998). Prices/pack sizes etc. of miniatures from
overseas licensees will differ - please contact them directly for prices and information.
Postage & packing on UK orders: 10% of order value, MINIMUM 75p, maximum
6.00. All cheques payable to GROUND ZERO GAMES.
Please note that all UK miniatures (EXCEPT fighter and small craft packs) include
PLASTIC STANDS for the ships; the US-produced examples from
Geo-Hex include cast metal stands.
NEW ANGLIAN CONFEDERATION (NAC):
FT101A Firestorm II class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT121
Phantom class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT102A Harrison class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT103
Arapaho class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT104
Minerva class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT124
Tacoma class HEAVY FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT105
Ticonderoga class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT106
Huron class LIGHT CRUISER
FT107
Furious class ESCORT CRUISER
FT108
Vandenburg class HEAVY CRUISER
FT109
Majestic class BATTLECRUISER
FT110
Victoria class BATTLESHIP
FT111B Excalibur class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT (Heavy Battleship)
FT112
Valley Forge class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT113
Inflexible class LIGHT FLEET CARRIER
FT114
Ark Royal class FLEET SUPERCARRIER
EURASIAN SOLAR UNION (ESU):
FT201A Kilo class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT201B Katya class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT221
Kisha class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT202
Lenov class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT203
Nanuchka II class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT204
Novgorod class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT205
Warsaw class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT205A Volga class SUPER DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT206
Tibet class LIGHT CRUISER
FT207
Beijing/B class ESCORT CRUISER
FT208
Gorshkov class HEAVY CRUISER
FT208A Voroshilev class HEAVY CRUISER
FT209
Manchuria class BATTLECRUISER
FT210
Petrograd class BATTLESHIP
FT211
Rostov class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT (Heavy Battleship)
FT212
Komarov class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT213
Konstantin class ATTACK CARRIER
FT214
Tsiolkovsky class LIGHT CARRIER
NEU SWABIAN LEAGUE (NSL):
FT501
Adler class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT501A Wulf class INTERCEPTORS (pack of 6)
FT521
Wespe class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT502
Falke class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT503
Stroschen class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT504
Ehrenhold class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT505
Waldburg class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT505A Waldburg/M class MISSILE DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT506
Kronprinz Wilhelm class LIGHT CRUISER
FT507
Radetzky class ESCORT CRUISER
FT508
Markgraf class HEAVY CRUISER
FT509
Maximilian class BATTLECRUISER
FT509A Richthofen class BATTLECRUISER
FT510
Maria Von Burgund class BATTLESHIP
FT511
Szent Istvan class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT (Heavy Battleship)
FT512
Von Tegetthoff class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT513
Der Theuerdank class FIGHTER CARRIER
FEDERAL STATS EUROPA (FSE):
FT601
Mirage IX class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT621
Camerone class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT602
Mistral class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT603
Athena class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT604
Ibiza class FRIGATES (pack of 2)

0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
5.95
7.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
2.65
1.95
2.25
2.75
2.95
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
7.95
6.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
7.95
0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95

FT605
San Miguel II (modified) class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
2.25
FT606
Suffren class LIGHT CRUISER
1.95
FT607
Milan class ESCORT CRUISER
2.25
FT608
Jerez class HEAVY CRUISER
2.75
FT609
Ypres class BATTLECRUISER
3.95
FT610
Roma class BATTLESHIP
4.25
FT611
Bonaparte class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT (Heavy Battleship)
5.50
FT612
Foch class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
7.95
FT613
Bologna class LIGHT CARRIER
5.95
FT614
Jeanne DArc class FLEET CARRIER
8.95
KRAVAK (ALIEN) FLEET:
FT401
RaSan class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
0.95
FT402
LuDak class INTRUDERS (SCOUTSHIPS) (pack of 3)
1.25
FT403
KaTak class STRIKERS (CORVETTES) (pack of 3)
1.95
FT404
DaKak class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
1.95
FT405
DiTok class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
2.25
FT406
VoBok class HUNTER (LIGHT CRUISER)
1.95
FT407
SiTek class PATROL CRUISER
2.25
FT407A KoTek class STRIKE CRUISER (modified 407)
2.25
FT408
VaDok class HEAVY CRUISER
2.75
FT409
TiDak class BATTLECRUISER
3.95
FT410
KoVol class BATTLESHIP
4.25
FT411
LoVok class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT (Heavy Battleship)
4.95
FT412
YuKas class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
7.95
FT413
KoSan class STRIKE CARRIER
7.95
FT414
DoSan class TACTICAL (light) CARRIER
5.95
FT415
ShaKen class LIGHT TRANSPORT (pack of 2)
2.25
FT416
ToRok class SURVEY/EXPLORER SHIP
1.95
THE SAVASKU (ALIEN) BIOSHIP FLEET:
FT701
DRONE FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
0.95
FT702A SCOUTSHIPS (type 1) (pack of 3)
1.25
FT702B SCOUTSHIPS (type 2) (pack of 3)
1.25
FT703
BATTLE SCOUTS (corvette size) (pack of 3)
1.95
FT704
ATTACKERS (frigate size) (pack of 2)
1.95
FT705
DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
2.25
FT706
LIGHT STRIKESHIP (light cruiser size)
1.95
FT707A STRIKESHIP (type 1) (escort cruiser size)
2.25
FT707B STRIKESHIP (type 2) (escort cruiser size)
2.25
FT708
DRONE PODSHIP (cruiser-sized fighter mothership)
2.75
FT709
Battlecruiser size WARSHIP
3.95
FT710
Battleship-size CAPITAL SHIP
4.95
FT711
Battledreadnought size CAPITAL SHIP
5.95
FT712
Dreadnought-size CAPITAL SHIP
7.95
FT713
SUPERHEAVY DRONE PODSHIP
(Supercarrier sized fighter mothership)
7.95
MERCHANT, SUPPORT and CIVILIAN SHIPS:
FT302
Clarke class EXPLORATION/SURVEY CRUISER
4.95
FT305
Hamburg class HEAVY MODULAR FREIGHTER
5.95
FT306
Bustler class DEEP SPACE TUG
2.45
FT307
Antares class INNER-SYSTEM SHUTTLE (interface capable)
1.95
FT308
MEDIUM FREIGHTER
2.95
FT309
MEDIUM FREIGHTER type B
2.95
FT311
Bremen class FREIGHTER
2.95
FT314
Schwarzwald HEAVY FREIGHTER
3.95
FT309A MEDIUM FREIGHTER (redesigned version of 309)
2.95
FT316
SHORT-HAUL LIGHT FREIGHTER
1.65
FT317
LIGHT TANKER SHIP
1.95
FT318
MEDIUM FREIGHTER with CARGO MODULE (Type A bridge unit)
2.95
FT318
MEDIUM FREIGHTER with CARGO MODULE (Type B bridge unit)
2.95
FT319
HEAVY MODULAR FREIGHTER (revised version of FT305)
5.95
FT320
LIGHT PERSONNEL SHUTTLES (pack of 6)
0.95
The GF RANGE: a selection of miscellaneous craft and accessories:
GF001
StarTruck LIGHT SPACE FREIGHTER
1.65
GF005
FREE TRADER (light tramp freighter) pack of 2
2.25
GF006
UNSC Star Tiger class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
0.95
GF007
VERY large SPACE STATION - resin kit with white metal parts,
cylindrical modular design with docking sphere at end and
4 solar vanes cast in metal - about 300mm long!!
12.95
GF007A Additional metal vane for conversions on GF-007 (each)
0.95
GF008
PTaah FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
0.95
GF009
MECHA FIGHTERS (pack of 6) Anime style "Mobile Suit figures
0.95
GF010
UNSC Hammer class atmosphere-capable FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
0.95
GF011
SYSTEM PATROL CUTTER (pack of 2)
2.25
GF012
ISSCV INTERFACE LANDING SHUTTLE (pack of 4)
0.95
GF013
Kantauris FIGHTERS (pack of 6) (crescent-winged fighter craft)
0.95
GF014
INTERFACE LANDER - non-streamlined (pack of 3)
0.95
GF015
AERODYNE (lifting body)INTERFACE LANDER (pack of 3)
0.95
FULL THRUST SPECIAL PACKS:
All the packs shown here offer a considerable saving over the cost of buying the ships at
individual prices; note that sometimes pack composition may vary slightly, but will
always contain a balanced mix of ship classes.
IMPORTANT: WHEN ORDERING PACKS, REMEMBER TO SPECIFY WHICH FLEET (OR
FLEETS) YOU WANT - eg: NAC, ESU, KV, NSL, FSE etc.
FTPAK 1 BASIC STARTER PACK: contains FULL THRUST RULEBOOK plus two small starter
fleets of ships (including stands); please specify which TWO forces you want
eg: NAC/ESU, NSL/FSE etc.
ONLY 20.00
FTPAK 2 CARRIER GROUP: contains 1 Carrier with fighter complement plus various escort
craft and stands
ONLY 15.00
FTPAK 3 BATTLE SQUADRON: contains 1 Battleship, 1 Battlecruiser, escort craft group plus
stands
ONLY 15.00

48

CONTENTS
"Still tracking the Kraks inbound towards the station, Sir, we have confirmed ID on one Kickback,
one Kingpin, two Kylies plus five Kerfs in escort pattern - looks like a carrier strikegroup backed up
by an SDN.... what the f....er, hold one please...... more jump exit signatures, Captain! Probable
Sa'vasku waveforms...."
"Identification, Scan One?"
"Coming up, Sir...... scan patterns processing....... got them! Confirm Spikeys, two capital units and
at least six smaller. OK, by mass readings we've got 90% probability on one Sandcrab and one
Smudger, the other stuff may take a while to firm up but they're looking like a pair of Spankers and
a number of escorts...."
"Thank you, Scan One - keep on them and give me any more data as you have it. Guns, I want a cold
track on the Spikeys, but no going active until they make a move - we don't know whose side they'll
be on this time, and I sure as hell don't want to push them...."
[Excerpt from bridge recorder transcript, RNS Lancaster, leading 43rd Operational Squadron in defence of
Research Station Kantauris Delta 3, 2191.]

CONTENTS
Introduction
Basic Ship Design
Game Balance
Combining Technologies
Vector Movement Amendments
Fighter Rules
Core Systems
Turn Sequence Summary
Ship Data Panels
Ship Record Charts
Counters
Xeno File 1: The Kra'Vak
Kra'Vak Ship Design System
Kra'Vak Systems Summary

CREDITS:
Written by: Jon Tuffley
Ship Art by: Tim Osborne
Graphics, typesetting and layout: Simon Parnell,
Tim Parnell and Sin Oxford at Brackenbury.
Printed by: Brackenbury, Ipswich.
Tel: 01473 287017
All rules and text in this publication are Copyright
2000 J. M. Tuffley and Ground Zero Games.

Kra'Vak Ship Designs

Kra'vak Ship Record Chart
Xeno File 2: The Sa'Vasku
Sa'Vasku Ship Design System
Sa'Vasku Systems Summary
Sa'Vasku Ship Designs
Sa'Vasku Ship Record Chart
Xeno File 3: The Phalons
Phalon Ship Design System
Phalon Ship Designs
Phalon Systems Summary
Phalon Ship Record Chart
Background Timeline
Full Thrust Starship Miniatures List

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication

maybe reproduced in any form or by any means
without prior permission from the publishers.
This publication is sold subject to the following
conditions:
1: It shall not by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold,
hired out or otherwise circulated without the publishers
prior permission in any form of binding or cover other than
that in which it is published and without a similar
condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

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2: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by
any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior
permission of the publishers. Published March 2000 by
Ground Zero Games.

Purchasers of this book are hereby granted

permission to photocopy any required Ship
Systems Status Displays and record sheets for
personal use only.

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
When we published Fleet Book Volume 1 in 1998, we promised there would be a second
book to cover the alien races in the Full Thrust universe; well, after two years, here it is!
This book contains full rules, design systems and pre-designed ship stats for three
different alien races - the Kra'Vak, the Sa'Vasku and the Phalons. Those of you who have
a copy of MORE THRUST, the first supplement for Full Thrust that we produced, will
recall that early versions of the rules and backgrounds for the Kra'Vak and the Sa'Vasku
were originally published in that supplement. At the time, the "MT" version Kra'Vak
were actually very over-powered for their points value, which led to unbalanced games,
and the MT Sa'Vasku rules were only ever intended as some experimental suggestions
for players to try out.
For Fleet Book 2, we have revised and rewritten both the Kra'Vak and the Sa'Vasku
rules, and have added the Phalons (who never appeared in MT) as a third protagonist.
The Kra'Vak rules in this volume are not unlike the original MT version; players of the
old rules will note some cosmetic changes, such as renaming the original K'V "railguns"
as "K-guns" (mainly so that we can possibly introduce a "railgun" system as another
Human weapon in due course...), but the overall feel of the Kra'Vak ships and tactics
will be very similar to the originals. This time, however, we think we've got the points
system right so games will be more balanced!
For the Sa'Vasku, the rewrite has been much more extensive. They are still probably the
most complex race to actually play in the game, but we have removed some of the more
time-consuming aspects of the MT versions (particularly the original random power
generation ability, which although it added a lot to the unpredictability of the race both to its player and opponent - was very lengthy to use) and streamlined the S'V
rules while adding a lot more twists and options to their ships.
The Phalons are altogether new to the FT system, and appear for the first time in this
volume. We wanted to add a race that looked totally alien, but acted in a way that
humanity could relate to; the Phalons' weapons and systems are different from the
humans' in many ways, but alike in others, and of the three alien races they are
probably the most easily understood by mankind. Phalon ships are very powerful in
play, a fact balanced by their high points values, and their willingness to fight (or
indeed ally with) anyone if it is in their own interest should lead to many fascinating
game permutations.
This volume is not necessarily the end of the alien races for Full Thrust; even while
writing it, ideas have been bubbling to the surface for races, systems and ships that we
could not include here, and there is almost endless scope for more material, human and
alien.
Now you've got this book, you can start pestering us for Volume 3.....
Jon Tuffley, GZG, March 2000.

CREDITS AND THANKS

Thanks to all the members, active and lurking, of the GZG email list, especially to those
who have contributed ideas via the list which we have adapted for use in this volume. I
can't name everyone personally, and in many cases I don't even know exactly who
originated what (especially after the ideas have been chewed around by the list
membership for a while!), but all the input has been invaluable in shaping not only
this book but other stuff yet to come.... keep it up, chaps.
Special thanks must go to all the stalwart members of the on-line playtest group, with
especially honourable mentions for sheer volume of response to Oerjan Ohlson
(number-cruncher and design-checker extraordinaire!), Mark "Indy" Kochte, Alan Brain,
Tom McCarthy, and of course Beth Fulton (for playtesting work above and beyond the
call of duty, when I'm sure she had much more important things to do!).
Of course, this book wouldn't exist if it wasn't for all the keen Full Thrust players out
there who keep buying the stuff we make, so my thanks also goes out to everyone who
is reading this for your support past, present and (hopefully) future - you keep playing
it, and I'll keep writing it!

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON MEASUREMENTS

Reading through this book, you will notice that we have given all measurements,
ranges and distances in the rules in terms of "MU". This stands for Measurement Units,
and we have decided to adopt this to replace the old method of giving all distances in
inches. Basically, 1 mu can be any distance you want it to be according to the size of
playing area you have, the size of models you are using, and simply personal
preference. For general play, we assume that most people will use 1 mu = 1 inch (or
approx. 25mm in metric), but it is just as valid to have a scale of 1 mu = 1 centimetre

if you are playing on a small tabletop (or if you want a game with very high speeds
and lots of manoeuvring room on your normal size of table). If you have a huge area
available to play on, then feel free to use any other conversion rate you like - 1 mu =
100mm, or 6 inches, or even more!

NOTES FOR READERS WHO DO NOT HAVE FLEET BOOK 1

Fleet Book Volume 1 (Warships of the Major Powers, 2183), the companion book
to this volume, contains a number of new, expanded and revised rules for Full
Thrust - including a completely new ship design sequence that replaces the one
in the Full Thrust 2nd Edition rulebook. The design sequences for the three alien
fleets in this volume are all based on that new system, with appropriate
modifications for the specifics of each alien race.
Although it will be a great help, it is not strictly necessary to have Fleet Book 1
in order to use and enjoy this volume; if you only have access to the basic FT
2nd edition book, then the following notes will help you to make use of the ships
and rules given in this book:
1) FIRE ARCS: One of the most fundamental changes introduced in Fleet Book 1
was the move to 6 fire arcs of 60 degrees each, replacing the original four 90degree arcs of FT 2nd edition. The arcs are now referred to as FORE (F), FORE
PORT (FP), FORE STARBOARD (FS), AFT PORT (AP), AFT STARBOARD (AS) and AFT
(A). A weapon bearing through the frontal 180 degrees of the ship would be
denoted as a 3-arc (FP/F/FS) system. This change gives greater variety of
possible arcs, and makes arc judgement much easier using the standard hexagonal
bases that most starship models are supplied with. All ships in this volume use
the 6-arc method, but if you wish to use the original ships from FT 2nd edition
then we suggest you retain the old 4-arc system for those designs.
2) VECTOR MOVEMENT: Fleet Book 1 introduced a new (optional) system of
realistic vector movement, which players could choose to use if they wished in
place of the standard FT movement system (which is now termed CINEMATIC
movement, as it is more in keeping with the highly unrealistic way that ships are
seen to move in most SF movies!).
Each of the alien races in this book has rules given for both vector and cinematic
movement, so if you do not have access to a copy of Fleet Book 1 then simply
ignore all references to vector movement and use the standard cinematic system.
3) SHIP MASS AND POINTS VALUES: The new design system in Fleet Book 1 had
the effect of raising the total MASS ratings of ship classes by a large factor
(double or more, in most cases), but the actual POINTS VALUES remained
approximately the same, so you can use the points costs as a rough guide to
comparing ships between the different books - a typical Destroyer from Fleet
Book 1 may have a MASS twice that of one from the original FT 2nd edition
designs, but both will have a value of around 100 points or so. The same applies
to the ship designs in this volume - they should be approximately equivalent in
terms of points cost to those in FT 2nd edition.
4) REROLLS: This rule was introduced in Fleet Book 1, and is used in this
volume as well: if certain weapon systems roll a 6 for damage effect, they can
get to reroll to see if they inflict further damage as well as that scored by the
initial 6 - in most cases, any damage scored by the reroll will be taken as
"penetrative" damage, done inside screens and/or armour. Those weapons
capable of reroll damage are explained in the relevant rules sections of this
volume.
5) AMENDED FIGHTER RULES: Fleet Book 1 includes quite a large number of
changes to the original 2nd edition fighter rules; the most important ones are
the introduction of secondary fighter moves, and modifications to the endurance
rules first published in More Thrust.
Fighter groups now have 6 Combat Endurance Factors, or CEFs, which they use up
whenever they engage in combat (anti-ship or anti-fighter). Once they are out of
CEFs, they may no longer make attacks and must return to their carrier.
Fighter movement is increased to 24 mu for standard fighters, and 36 mu for
"fast" fighters. In addition, groups may make a "secondary move" of 12 mu after
ship movement takes place, if they have any Combat Endurance Factors left - a
secondary move uses up one CEF.
The Fighter Group Morale rules originally introduced in More Thrust are now
recommended as standard rules, requiring a group to roll less than or equal to the
number of remaining fighters in the group in order to make an attack pass on an
enemy ship.
There are numerous other new ideas and rules in Fleet Book 1, but the summaries
above are the most important if you are jumping straight from the FT 2nd Edition
rulebook to this volume.

 GENERAL RULES
This affects ALL ship designs, human and alien; it is actually not really a change, so
much as the lifting of an artificial restriction, and as such does not affect or invalidate
any of the designs published in Fleet Book 1.

with the same ships and the same weapons using different names. If you start to mixand-match the technologies in a search for the ubership (which, if we've done the
balancing right, you SHOULDN'T be able to find - not that that will stop you
looking....) then all the fleets will start to look the same and a lot of the flavour of the
game will be lost.

The change is simply to remove the fixed percentage limits on HULL INTEGRITY; instead
of having to be bought in 10% increments, ship designs may now have as many or as
few Hull boxes as the designer wishes, subject only to a lower limit of a minimum of
10% of the total ship mass. The actual number of hull boxes chosen does not have to
exactly equal any given percentage of the ship's total mass.

The simplest way round this is to just say "sorry, you can't do it" and back this up with
some PSB about the radical differences between the various races' approach to their
technologies making them totally incompatible. Rather than do this, however, we
accept that it'll happen and thus need to lay down a few guidelines for those people
who just can't resist it.

Each Hull Integrity box still takes 1 MASS, and costs 2 points. The terms used to
describe the hull types in FB1 (Fragile, Weak, Average etc.) may still be used to roughly
describe the kind of structure a ship has, but they no longer refer to fixed percentage
figures - they now indicate a range of possible hull strengths (chosen so that the FB1
designs fall about halfway into each range), so that a Fragile hull would be from the
minimum 10% to about 14% of total mass, a Weak hull from approximately 15% to
24%, Average from 25% to 34%, Strong from 35% to 44% and a Super hull would be
anything above 45%. These classifications are approximate, are for descriptive
convenience only, and have no bearing on game play whatsoever.

We have one VERY strong recommendation: NO MIXED-TECHNOLOGY SHIPS SHOULD BE

USED IN ANY KIND OF COMPETITIVE OR TOURNAMENT GAME.

BASIC SHIP DESIGN: RULES CHANGE

FIDDLING ABOUT TILL IT ALL FITS.....

Under the design system given in Fleet Book 1, with hull integrity strictly in 10%
increments, if you couldn't squeeze all the systems you wanted into the MASS you had
available then you were faced with recalculating the ship from scratch, and maybe even
changing its overall mass to accommodate things. However, with the revised rule
explained above, it is now a lot easier: if you decide that you REALLY need another fire
control system, or another weapon battery or whatever, and do not have enough MASS
left over to fit it in, then the new ability of being able to buy hull boxes in any
quantity becomes very useful - you can go back to stage 2 of the design process and
simply drop a couple of hull boxes to free up the extra mass you need, without
affecting any of the rest of the ship design. Similarly, if you get to the end of the
systems fitting-out stage and find you've got a few spare mass left over, you have the
choice of putting in another system or else going back and adding an extra hull box or
two. Of course, you have to remember to alter the layout of the damage track and
change the points value spent on hull integrity, but unlike the old design system you
don't have to start recalculating the whole design from scratch.

GAME BALANCE
Throughout the design process of the rules for the three alien powers in this book,
great emphasis has been placed on trying to get the points values as balanced as
possible between the different fleets, so that 1000 points of (say) Kra'Vak ships will
theoretically be a fair match against 1000 points of Phalons, Sa'vasku or indeed any of
the human fleets from Fleet Book 1.
Now, as they say, all things are relative (and all relatives are things....), and there will
be cases in which the points system won't give a perfect balance, but it should be
close enough for all normal game purposes. If you really want to spend hours and hours
with spreadsheets and simulations, trying to find that little loophole that will give you
that extra 0.5% edge over your opponents, then be our guest - it'll keep you out of the
way of the people who just want to get on and play the game to have fun....
One thing that should be pointed out is that while the points values are as accurate as
we could make them, the size classes of the ships are very approximate and can be
misleading if taken in isolation. Some of the alien ships (the Phalons, in particular) are
actually much more powerful on a ship-for-ship basis than the human designs, but to
balance this their points cost is proportionally higher - this should be taken into
account when setting up games and designing scenarios.
To take an example, in a small human (NSL) vs. Phalon battle, the players may choose
forces up to approximately 750 points. The NSL player might have two Waldburg
Destroyers, a Radetzky Escort Cruiser and a Richthofen Battlecruiser (all designs from
Fleet Book 1), for a total of 746 points. The Phalon player might choose a Ptath
Battleship, two Phuun Frigates and a Vlath Battle Scout for a total of 751 points. The
NSL player might look (from the class descriptions) to have a far superior force, but the
combat potential of the two fleets should actually be very similar.

COMBINING DIFFERENT ALIEN TECHNOLOGIES

As soon as some players get their grubby little mitts on this book, they will start
wanting to design ships based on a mixture of some or all the different races' weapons
and systems.
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong in this, but please be aware that we have gone
to great lengths to try and ensure that all the alien races presented here have a
different feel from each other in game terms - they are not just "rubber suit aliens",

We would also suggest that mixed-tech designs should not be used when playing with
people new to the game, or who are not part of your regular gaming group.
If you wish to discourage use of mixed tech without actually forbidding it, you may
wish to consider a house-rule of applying a penalty increase to mass and/or points cost
for any system or technology copied from another race.
If after all this your group of players wish (and agree) to try using mixed-tech in their
designs, then by all means give it a go - you've paid us the money, and it's your game now!
[As far as our published "canon" universe background is concerned, mixed-tech ships
do not appear in any forces within the time period of the First Xeno War; though each
of the protagonists (except the Sa'Vasku, who consider themselves above all this
innovation stuff...) will undoubtedly be devoting a good deal of time and resources to
investigating the other races' technology from salvaged debris and captured or disabled
ships, the problems of duplicating it with a completely different technological base are
too great to be surmounted during the war years - we're not talking here about, for
instance, the FSE stealing plans for something from the NSL and building a copy, we're
talking about trying to integrate two or more totally alien forms of technology and
materials. All the protagonists feel that it is much better to spend the shipbuilding
resources they have on a dozen more warships of their own proven designs than to
waste the same amount on one weird and experimental hybrid that may or may not
work at all, and if it does may not be a lot better than what they've already got.]

VECTOR MOVEMENT: SUGGESTED RULES AMENDMENTS

The new system of Vector Movement that was introduced in the Fleet Book 1 as
an alternative to the standard ("Cinematic") Full Thrust movement rules has now
been in use with players for two years, and over that time we have received a
large amount of feedback about it. While not being a strictly accurate
mathematical model of how things really move in space, the system gives a
reasonable "feel" of how things should be without the need for any complex
calculations or excessive record-keeping, and general reaction to it from players
has been very good.
One or two loopholes and oddities in the system have been discovered since it
was published, and many possible solutions and fixes have been proposed by the
very active members of the GZG email list among others. What we are presenting
here is just a possible idea for refining the system a little, which we'd like to
invite players to have a go with and, if they wish, let us know the results; these
are not hard and fast rule amendments at this stage, merely suggestions - after
the feedback comes in we'll make decisions about how the final "official"
revisions (if any) will be worded for inclusion in the next edition of the Full
Thrust rules.
REVISED VECTOR MOVEMENT [OPTIONAL]
ALL thrust, whether for Main Drive burns, ship rotations or "thruster pushes", should
come out of the total thrust factor of the main drive. Thruster pushes (side or retro
thrusters) are now limited to a maximum of 1 thrust point per turn from any one set of
thrusters - ie: a side push plus a retro push (1 thrust point each) is allowable, but two
side pushes are not.
Multiple rotations in a single turn are permitted, but 1 thrust factor is used for each
rotation (no matter how many or few course points the ship rotates through each
time), so a thrust-4 ship could, for example, rotate to a new facing, do a thrust-2 burn
with its main drive, then rotate again to bring its weapons to bear at the end of the
turn. The same thrust-4 ship could also (say) do a 1 point push to starboard, a 1 point
retro push, a rotate and still manage a thrust-1 burn with the main drive, in any order
desired.
Note that this makes the mechanism for "standard" vector movement more like that
given for the Kra'vak and Sa'Vasku advanced drives in this volume, the difference being
that the standard drives may still only apply their main drive thrust in the direction of
facing, while the advanced grav drives may apply it in any direction regardless of
current ship facing.

GENERAL RULES
When using specialised fighter groups, use the normal fighter symbol for the ship
record diagram, but replace the "spot" in the symbol with the appropriate letter
for the fighter type: for example, an "H" for Heavy Fighters, "T" for Torpedo
Fighters, etc.

ADVANCED AND SPECIALISED FIGHTER TYPES

The Fighters depicted in FT 2nd edition are assumed to be "multirole" fighters: good
average, basic types moderately fast, with reasonable anti-ship and anti-fighter
capabilities; an all-round "multi-mission" type of craft; standard multirole fighters cost
18 points per group of 6 (3 points per fighter).
The rules that follow give some ideas for modifying your fighters into rather more
specialised or improved types:
[Note: these rules originally appeared in the "MORE THRUST" supplement book, in
slightly different form. Some of the rules have been amended and the points values
changed to bring them in line with the Fleet Book 1 system.]
FAST FIGHTERS
While normal fighters have a movement allowance of 24 mu per turn, "Fast" fighters
have more powerful drives giving them a movement of 36 mu per turn; they still have a
limit of 12 mu for secondary moves.
A group of 6 Fast fighters costs a total of 24 points (4 points each).
HEAVY FIGHTERS
"Heavy" fighters have the same offensive and drive capabilities as normal fighters, but
are better protected against attack by armoured hulls, heavier structural components
etc. When Heavy fighters are attacked by beam-type (eg: Human, Phalon or Sa'Vasku)
point-defence weapons or other fighters, rolls of "4" have no effect (ie: kills are only
scored with rolls of 5 or 6). When fired on by Kra'Vak scatterguns, halve the number of
kills scored.
A group of 6 Heavy fighters costs 30 points (5 points each).
INTERCEPTORS
The Interceptor is a specialised type of fighter with no effective anti-ship capability,
but optimised for anti-fighter performance. Interceptors may not fire on any vessels
except other fighter groups (using the Dogfighting rules from FULL THRUST), but when
they make such an attack they may add 1 to all die roll results thus they kill one
fighter on a roll of 3 or 4, and TWO on rolls of 5 or 6.
When themselves attacked (either by fighters or anti-fighter fire) they take casualties
normally.
An interceptor group costs the same as a standard multirole group, as they are tradingoff their anti-ship capability for their enhanced dogfighting.

Note that all fighter groups, regardless of type, have the same MASS and hangar
space requirement in the carrier or mothership, and operate under all the normal
rules for launching, recovery and turn sequence.

FIGHTER LAUNCHING - RULE AMENDMENT

In FT 2nd Edition, it was ruled that fighter launches were limited to 2 groups per turn for
specialised carriers, and 1 group for other ships. Hindsight and a lot of play experience
has suggested that this limitation should be removed, and that all fighter-carrying ships
(whether specialised carriers or not) should be allowed to launch as many groups per turn
as they have operational fighter bays. Fighter recovery (landing) is of necessity a slower
process than launching, so any fighter carrying ship may only RECOVER fighter groups
equal to HALF its number of operational fighter bays in any one turn.
Launching and recovery operations MAY both be performed by one ship in the same
turn if desired.
Note: this rule amendment removes the need to define in rules terms exactly what
constitutes a "carrier", as this now has no effect on play. Where reference is made to
"carriers" in the rules, treat it as meaning any ship that is equipped to carry one or
more fighter groups, whether or not that is its primary mission function.

FIGHTER RE-ARMING - NEW RULE

[This rule is OPTIONAL, and may be used or amended to choice according to the
background you wish to use and the timescale that you prefer a game turn to
reflect.]
When a fighter group is recovered by its carrier, roll 1 die: on a score of 1, the
group may NOT be re-launched in this game (severe damage to returning fighters,
crew fatigue etc.); on a 2-5 the group will be patched-up, refuelled and re-armed
after 1 full turn, so it may re-launch in the second turn after recovery; on a score
of 6, the group makes a crash turnround and may re-launch on the turn
immediately following that of recovery. If depleted groups are combined to make
full strengh ones, roll for each partial group and the worst case result applies to
the entire new group.

CORE SYSTEMS (OPTIONAL RULE)

ATTACK FIGHTERS
Specialised "Attack" fighters are really the opposite of Interceptors they have very
little ability to engage other fighters, but carry increased weaponry loads for anti-ship
missions. When in a dogfight situation with an enemy fighter group, Attack fighters
only hit and kill opposing fighters with rolls of 6 (which destroy one fighter only per
successful roll). When engaging other ships, however, the Attack fighters add 1 to all
their die rolls ie: if firing on an un-screened target ship they would inflict 1 Damage
Point with rolls of 3 or 4, and 2 DP with 5 or 6.
Because anti-ship capabilities are usually of more importance in the game than
dogfighting, an Attack fighter group costs 24 points (4 per Fighter).
LONG-RANGE FIGHTERS
This is an option to be used IF you are also using the "fighter endurance" rules. While
normal fighters have six Combat Endurance Factors, a Long-Range group has NINE CEFs
due to its additional fuel tankage, life-support etc.
A Long-Range fighter group costs 24 points (4 per Fighter).
TORPEDO FIGHTERS
These are a further specialisation of the Attack fighter, carrying a heavy single-shot
anti-ship weapon on each fighter. When the group attacks an enemy ship, roll once per
fighter to see how many hits are scored each fighter needs a roll of 4 or more to
score a hit with its "torpedo"; those shots that hit inflict damage equal to the number
rolled (ie: roll of 1-3 is a miss, but 4 scores 4 DP, 5 = 5 DP and 6 = 6 DP. No rerolls are
made). Damage is applied half to armour (if any), half to hull.
The group may only attack ONCE in this manner, and for simplicity it is assumed that
all the fighters in the group will attack the same target at the same time it is not
permitted to fire just some of the group and "save" the others for a later attack (unless
of course you wish to agree this between yourselves, and work out the necessary
record-keeping). Once the group has expended its torpedoes, it may then only fight in
the same limited anti-fighter mode as for Attack fighters (ie: needing rolls of 6 for
kills) and may not make any further attacks against enemy ships. The Torpedo Fighter
group is thus very much a one-shot weapon, but a (potentially) extremely powerful one
for this reason a torpedo group costs 36 points (6 per Fighter).

[Important note: the rules quoted below were introduced in Fleet Book 1, and are
reprinted here because they are of some importance to using two of the three races
in this book.]
Looking at the ship data panels for the Kra'Vak and the Phalon designs, you will
see a box in the right hand lower corner of each Systems Status Display (SSD)
which contains three icons that represent the most vital systems buried deep
within the hull of the ship: these are the "core" systems, and consist of the
Command Bridge (which also includes computer systems, avionics etc.), the Power
Core and the Life Support System.
You will note that the Sa'Vasku ships do not have the three core system icons on
their SSDs; this is because the Sa'Vasku have their power source denoted by their
separate Power Generator icons, and their constructs do not need life support
systems or command areas in the same way that the other races' ships do. The Core
Systems rules do not apply to Sa'Vasku ships (they have more than enough special
rules of their own!).
If using the core systems rules, these three systems are grouped together on the
ship diagram, with a box drawn round them. Whenever the ship reaches a
threshold point, the systems within the core box are each rolled for as normal,
but at +1 to the current threshold number - thus at the first threshold point,
where systems are lost on rolls of 6 only, the core systems do NOT need to be
rolled for (as they would only be lost on a "7"). On the second threshold, where
normal systems go down on rolls of 5 or 6, the core systems are only hit on rolls
of 6, and so on.
Notes:
i) The core systems, and their basic "protective" box, do NOT need to have
MASS allocated to them during ship design - they are assumed to be part of the
essential structure of all ships.
ii) If an opposing fleet is using Needle Beams, the core systems may NOT be
targeted by these weapons; Needles may only fire at surface features on the ship,
such as weapons, sensor grids, drive units etc.

GENERAL RULES
EFFECTS OF THRESHOLD DAMAGE ON CORE SYSTEMS
COMMAND BRIDGE HIT
If the Command Bridge takes a hit, then a further D6 roll is made immediately - if the
roll is 1 to 5, then the ship is "out of control" for that number of turns, until command
can be restored through backup links and secondary command systems. If the roll is a
6, then the ship is PERMANENTLY out of control for the duration of the game. While a
ship is "out of control", it will continue on its present course and velocity, and may not
fire weapons, launch fighters or take any other offensive action. Passive defences
(screens) are still operational, though active defences (PDS etc.) are not. Once control
is regained (after the number of turns indicated by the die roll), all undamaged systems
come back on line. Damage Control parties may be used at any turn to try and restore
control earlier, using the normal damage control rules.
POWER CORE HIT
If the Power Core takes a hit, it is damaged and may "go critical" and explode,
destroying the ship. It continues to supply power for the ship, but the safety systems
that control it are damaged or destroyed, and each subsequent turn the player must roll
a die at the start of the turn - on a 5 or 6, the core explodes. Damage Control parties
may be used as normal to try and stabilise the power core - such attempts are made
before the roll for explosion for that turn, and success will bring the core back under
control and negate any further effects (unless the core is then damaged again on a

subsequent threshold, when the process will repeat). Each turn, BEFORE rolling the die,
the player may make a choice - he may abandon ship, or he may "dump" the core - this
avoids the risk of explosion, but leaves the ship without power for anything but
emergency life-support (from backup batteries) - the ship is intact, but unable to do
anything further in this battle except continue to drift on its present vector. If the
player chooses to abandon ship, the ship continues to drift while still rolling each turn
to see if the core explodes - in this case, however, the needed number for an explosion
drops by 1 each turn, as the core is running out of control with no-one to damp it
down; thus it WILL explode eventually and the ship will be lost. A ship that dumps its
core will be no further use for that battle, but may be salvaged afterwards and its
power restored.
LIFE SUPPORT HIT
If the Life Support Systems take a hit, then a further D6 roll is made immediately - the
number rolled indicates that the life support will fail after that number of turns.
Damage control parties may be allocated to try and repair the LSS as for any other
system. If the LSS fails before being repaired, then the crew must immediately abandon
ship or be lost. A ship without LSS become a drifting hulk, though it may of course be
recovered and repaired after the game if it survives.
NOTE: The Core Systems rules given above are entirely optional; if you do not wish to
use them, simply ignore the systems within the core box on the Kra'Vak and Phalon
ship diagrams for all game purposes.

TURN SEQUENCE

* This is a change from the previously-published versions of the rules, and is

stated because this book introduces weapon systems capable of point defence
fire which do not necessarily have all-arc coverage (ie: the Phalon pulser
batteries) - it thus may be necessary to know which arc of the target a fighter or
missile attack is originating from. Of course, fighter groups may make a
secondary move to try and get out of the defensive arcs, but this will burn a CE
factor as usual.

This is a summary of the full game turn sequence that should be followed
when using the various aliens and fleets listed in this volume and in Fleet
book 1.
1) WRITE ORDERS FOR ALL SHIPS
Sa'Vasku players will also decide and note down their power allocation for the
turn at this point, and Phalon players will need to note if any ships are
deploying their Vapour Shrouds.

The markers/models MAY be moved up to contact with the target AFTER all PD
fire has been resolved in phase 7.

2) ROLL FOR INITIATIVE

7) POINT DEFENCE FIRE

Both/all players roll a D6 each - highest roll has initiative for this turn.

Any ship under missile, plasma bolt and/or fighter attack allocates its defences
against attacking elements, then rolls for effects. Fighter vs. fighter actions
("dogfights"), attempted fighter missile/bolt interceptions and screening actions
by fighters are resolved BEFORE actual Point Defence fire is allocated to surviving
targets. Note that ships equipped with Area-Defence Firecon systems may use
their point-defence batteries to help defend other nearby ships in this phase, but
each PDS may only be used ONCE in the turn - if it is used in support of another
vessel, it is NOT available to defend the ship carrying it as well.

3) MOVE FIGHTER GROUPS

Both players alternate in moving one fighter group each until all fighter
groups in play have been moved (if desired); player who LOST initiative roll
moves first. Fighter groups being launched this turn must be moved before
those already in flight.
Any fighter groups currently allocated to screening ships are NOT moved in
this phase .

If the FIGHTER MORALE rules are being used, then fighter groups should make
their rolls after any PD fire against them is resolved; the chance of failing the roll
is thus increased by any members lost this turn as the fighters try to press home
the attack through a barrage of PDS fire.

4) LAUNCH ORDNANCE (SALVO MISSILES*, PLASMA BOLTS etc.)

Both players alternate in announcing and firing missile salvoes from any
missile-armed ships, plasma bolts from any Phalon ships, and any other
launched ordnance that uses a placed marker; play alternates BY SHIP, not by
single salvo. The player who LOST the initiative roll launches first. A marker is
placed at the point of aim of each salvo, bolt etc.

8) MISSILE, PLASMA BOLT AND FIGHTER ATTACKS

All missile salvoes, plasma bolts and fighter groups that survive the defensive fire
from phase 7 now have their attacks resolved; damage resulting from these
attacks is applied immediately, including threshold damage resolution if
applicable. Should it be necessary to determine exactly what order things happen
in (eg: if a missile salvo is within the burst radius of a plasma bolt), then plasma
bolts explode first, followed by missile resolution, and finally fighter attacks.

5) MOVE SHIPS
Both players simultaneously move their ships, strictly in accordance with
orders written in phase 1.
Fighter groups currently acting as fighter screens are moved at the same time
as the ship they are screening, and must remain within the screening
distance of the ship.

9) SHIPS FIRE
Starting with the player who WON the initiative roll in phase 2, each player
alternates in firing any/all weapon systems on ONE ship at one or more targets
subject to available fire control. Damage caused is applied immediately, and
threshold damage checks are made where applicable as soon as all weapons fired
by one ship at that one target have been used.

6) ALLOCATE ORDNANCE AND FIGHTER ATTACKS

All Missile Salvoes and Fighter Groups that are within the specified attack
ranges of suitable targets (and wish to attack, in the case of fighters) have
their targets determined and announced (missile and fighter counters/models
should be turned in place to face their intended target model, and the desired
target announced to the opponent so it is clear exactly what they are
attacking, but should NOT be physically moved*). Phalon Plasma Bolt markers,
which have an area effect and can damage all ships within their blast radius,
do not need to announce targets. Fighter groups may, if desired, make a
secondary move in this phase by expending a Combat Endurance factor.

10) TURN END

Players confirm that all actions for the turn have been completed as necessary.
Any untargetted missile or plasma bolt markers are removed from play. Next turn
may now commence.
(* For rules on Salvo Missiles and their effects, refer to Fleet Book 1; these
weapons are not used by the races detailed in this volume.)

GENERAL RULES
SHIP DATA PANELS
The following pages contain Ship Data Panels for the warships of the three alien races
detailed in this volume. Most of the information contained in each panel should be
self-explanatory, but a few notes may help.

Each of the ships detailed in this book has its UNDIA codename given in the data panel
for that ship, along with the human class type that the ship most resembles (in terms
of both mass and intended operational role).

SHIP RECORD CHARTS

SYSTEMS STATUS DISPLAY

This box, which is also referred to as the "Ship Diagram", is a graphic display of all the
systems fitted to the ship. The icons used are explained in the relevant rules sections
for each race. This panel should be photocopied to make up your own ship record
charts for your games.
THE TMF/NPV BOX
There is a small box in each ship's Data Panel that gives "TMF" and "NPV" for the ship.
These stand for (respectively): TOTAL MASS FACTOR and NOMINAL POINTS VALUE. The
TMF is the MASS of the ship design, and the NPV is the Points Cost of the ship
(excluding fighters and/or small craft costs in the case of ships with hangar facilities).
THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION BOX
This is a panel of notes and information on the ship class, including the year (human
calendar) in which the class was first identified by human forces. Most of this is of
background interest only, but may be useful in generating scenarios.
THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS BOX
This panel contains a written description of the systems fit of the ship class, listing all the
items found on the Ship Diagram. Note that the "weapons" section only lists the number
and class of each weapon, and not the arcs through which it may fire - that is indicated by
the icons on the Ship Diagram. The Displacement figure is the total tonnage of the ship,
which under the "official" background we take as 100 tonnes per MASS factor.
THE SHIP ILLUSTRATION
The line drawing of each ship is an illustration of the relevant miniature in the Full
Thrust model starship range; the drawings are, of course, not to scale with each other!
Note that we do occasionally redesign or modify items in the miniature ranges, and in
a few cases the illustration may not be an exact representation of the model currently
in production.
UNDIA CODENAMES
The United Nations Defence Intelligence Agency (UNDIA) is primarily responsible for
collating and coordinating all the input from the military intel units of the different
human forces involved in the War, through its Xeno Intelligence Division (XID). UNDIA
issues standardised military codenames for all types of alien ship encountered by
human forces, and most navies use these codenames to refer to those ship types. In
the cases of the Kra'Vak and the Phalons, direct communications and intercepted signal
traffic mean that human forces also know each race's "native" names for their ship
types, but the codenames are still used widely in both official and unofficial terms.
The UNDIA codenaming scheme works by assigning a simple and easily-recognised word
or common name to each ship type; most are in English (being the standard language
of official UN business) though some common non-English names and words are used
on occasions. A simple convention of designating all Kra'Vak ships with "K" names, all
Sa'Vasku with "S" and all Phalons with "P" helps instant recognition when different
forces are reported in the heat of battle.

Three different SHIP RECORD CHARTS are provided in this book, one for each of the
three races; each has Ship Diagram blanks to suit the relevant race's design system.
Feel free to copy this chart and cut-and-paste the diagrams around to suit your own
forces. To prepare a ship record chart for any of the fleets listed in this volume we
recommend photocopying the Ship Diagrams (System Status Displays) from the Data
Panels of the ships you want to use, and arranging them suitably on a sheet of paper
along with the "order panel" from the bottom of the record chart blank, then recopying the result. Sorry we couldn't provide ready-made sheets for each different
fleet, but for one thing they would almost never match any one person's miniature
force and for another they would take up half the book!
You will note that the Sa'vasku ship record chart is somewhat more complicated than
the Kra'Vak and Phalon ones, and has space for only six ships rather than the ten of the
other races; this is because the Sa'Vasku require more planning and record-keeping
than the others, in the form of allocating and recording their power distribution each
turn, and their order-writing sections are organised to allow this. The Sa'Vasku chart
also has a large empty "notes" box on it, which may be used to jot down anything that
needs to be recorded about the ships during play that will not easily fit into the order
boxes.
A NOTE ON SCANNING AND COMPUTER REPRODUCTION OF SHIP DATA PANELS, SSDs
AND SHIP RECORD CHARTS
These days, a great many of you will have access to scanners and computer equipment
that will enable you to reproduce parts of the ship data panels for the purpose of
making up your own record charts for the game. This is perfectly acceptable provided it
is for your own personal use, and not for any kind of commercial gain or payment. We
also have a number of enquiries from time to time about the posting of SSDs etc. on
web-sites; our policy on this is that you may web-publish your OWN designs freely for
non-profit purposes, including using the standard SSD format and icons, but we would
ask you NOT to post any of the actual ship designs given in this volume or any of our
other publications to any website; if people want to use them, they can buy a copy of
the book!
We would also ask that, for both legal reasons and out of courtesy, any website
devoted to or containing material connected to Full Thrust or any of the supplements
contains a clear statement of our copyrights plus details of how to contact us for
further information (these can be found at the back of this book).

COUNTERS
While on the subject of copy-and-cut-out bits, we have also provided a few counter
masters for plasma bolts, vapour shrouds, leech pods, fighter /drone groups (for all
three races) and fighter CEF markers, and some "rolled ship" markers that we should
have included in Fleet Book 1 but didn't!
Feel free to copy as many of these counters as you like (for personal use only please) we recommend copying them onto coloured card if possible.

6
ROLLED

LEECH

LEECH

LEECH

LEECH

LEECH

LEECH

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

CEF

REMAINING REMAINING

REMAINING REMAINING

REMAINING REMAINING

1
ROLLED

2
ROLLED

REMAINING REMAINING

3
ROLLED

5
4

ROLLED

REMAINING REMAINING

5
ROLLED

REMAINING REMAINING

XENO FILE 1: THE KRA'VAK

The Kra'Vak (literal translation: "People of the Sorrow Killer ") are anthropoid oxygenbreathing carbon based lifeforms; the extreme coincidence of three such fundamentally
similar races developing sentience, civilisation and technology in such a relatively
small area of the Galaxy at approximately the same time lends much credence to the
Sa'Vasku theories of some sort of genetic meddling by one or more of the older races,
and indeed given the way the Old Ones are, the whole thing may be some kind of huge
practical joke to them.....
The Kra'Vak are bipeds with bilateral symmetry, with dry skin that is scaly in some areas
and leathery in others; skin colours vary between individuals and Clans, and can be
anything from greenish-greys through shades of brown to almost black - some rare
individuals exhibit a purplish colouration. They are hairless, but have a number of ropy
tendrils that hang from a bony crown that circles their skull. Their jaws are slightly
insectoid in appearance, with multiple mandibles that move in various directions, and
their deep-set eyes have a much greater frequency range than human vision, allowing
them to see quite a way into both the infra-red and ultra-violet bands.
Kra'Vak speech is hard and gutteral, and many of its sounds are almost impossible for
human vocal organs to simulate. In theory it is just about possible for each race to
mimic enough of the other's sounds to make some kind of pidgin communication work,
but there has been so little verbal contact reported that there has not been much
chance to put this into practice - the very few Kra'Vak captives taken by human forces
seem to die quickly in confinement, even when treated well, and no human prisoner
has yet returned from Kra'Vak captivity to tell any tales.
Kra'Vak physiology exhibits certain mammalian traits, though there are reptilian
similarities in there as well and other aspects that bear no relation to any known form
of Terran biology.
Each Kra'Vak progresses through a number of gender stages as it matures. At birth and
for the first major stage of its life, the Kra'Vak is gender-neutral - this stage lasts until
physical maturity is reached (they grow rapidly, and reach this point at approximately
7-8 Terran years old), when the Kra'Vak becomes "male" and fertile, and enters an
adolescent stage during which its warrior and mating instincts are at their height.
At approximately 18-20 T-years of age, the Kra'Vak alters again and becomes "female",
at which point it will seek an adolescent "male" to mate and produce young. This
fertile female phase lasts around another ten to twelve T-years, during which time the
Kra'Vak may bear as many as a dozen young under the right circumstances (gestation is
short, around four months).
At the age of about 30 T-years, the Kra'vak will undergo its final life-change, returning
to an infertile gender-neutral state, in which it will spend the remainder of its lifespan
(which can be long, often as many as 150 T-years even without high-tech medical
support).
In this stage of it's life the Kra'Vak will become a worker within the society, assisting
with the raising of the War Family's young, farming, or (since the rise from barbarism
to technical civilisation) working in manufacturing or business. A few of these "senior"
Kra'Vak may rise through the heirarchy to positions of leadership within the War Family
and ultimately the Clan or the entire Dominion.
RO'KAH (Clouded War Mind)
One physiological trait in particular has shaped Kra'Vak development and history - when
a normal Kra'Vak becomes angered, fearful or otherwise strongly emotionally
stimulated, chemicals released into its brain cause a reaction known as Ro'Kah (literal
translation: "Clouded War Mind"), which causes the Kra'Vak to become steadily more
enraged as the source of the stimulation increases. In its extreme stages, the Kra'Vak
will enter a kind of "berserker rage" in which it will attack almost anything (including,
in some cases, its own fellows) but loses its capacity for rational and coherent thought
and planning. This gives Kra'vak warriors a kind of "reverse morale" effect, where the
worse the situation gets in terms of enemy threat, casualties etc., the more frenzied
the warriors will become in their attacks. In Kra'Vak prehistory, this was a survival trait
- running away was of little use against the fast predators of Zha'Vak, and the only
defence was to launch a furious frontal attack with all their strength.
While in the grip of Ro'Kah, a Kra'vak warrior will fight like a demon, using any and all
weapons to hand (natural and manufactured), but loses all concept of tactics. In
personal combat, an enraged Kra'Vak will simply launch itself at its opponent, with a
weapon if it has one and with mandibles and claws if it doesn't, uttering a terrible war
scream. At this point, it will either win or die. This frenzied burst of energy cannot be
maintained for long, and if the warrior wins the fight it will soon subside into a much
more passive state as the causes of the Ro'Kah are removed and the effects of the fury
drain away.
The early forms of Ro'Kah are evident in young Kra'Vak almost from birth, though the
effects are strongest during the male adolescent phase. Once it enters the female phase
the Kra'Vak will lose some of the wildest extremes of Ro'Kah, though it is still present even in the final adult life phase Ro'Kah still occurs under extreme stress, though it
takes considerably more stimulation to bring on the effects.

As the Kra'Vak civilisation rose from barbarism and they began to develop
technology, mechanised warfare and eventually spaceflight, the racial legacy of
Ro'Kah remained with them. Its effects are most strongly seen in Kra'Vak ground
troops (almost exclusively made up of adolescent male-phase warriors) , where their
close proximity to the enemy triggers the neurochemical release that precipitates
Ro'Kah very easily. Warriors that are more remote from the "sharp end" of the
fighting, such as AFV crews and to a greater extent Starship personnel, feel some of
the effects but at a slower rate and with less ferocity; they may also have the benefit
of the controlling influence of a Sia'Na (see below). The area in which Ro'Kah has
most bearing on space combat is with Kra'Vak fighter pilots - the exhilaration and
stimulation of individual combat is strong when flying a fighter, and incoming fire
and losses to a group will often push the remaining pilots into the frenzied state,
causing them to make violent and sometimes-suicidal runs at their targets. Any
fighter crews that survive such an attack pass will then generally rely on their
computer systems to take their fighters back to the carrier while they themselves
recover and calm as the effects of Ro'Kah gradually subside.
In a group, Kra'Vak will suffer the effects of Ro'Kah just as intensely as on their own; in
some ways each feeds off the emotional stimulation of the others, and the tension
rises even faster even among groups of older Kra'Vak. This is true both of small groups
(say, a squad-size unit of ground troops) and larger gatherings, and can even extend to
entire War Families. At the macro level, these effects are reflected in the interaction
between Kra'vak Clan groupings and in their reactions towards other races - it is a racewide form of Ro'Kah which has brought about the war against the perceived threat of
the Hu'Man.
THE SIA'NA (Walkers of the Path)
The Sia'Na (literal translation: "Walkers of the Path", but the concept best translates as
"Moderator") are a small caste of Kra'vak in which the physiological processes that
cause Ro'Kah are absent or dormant. In Kra'vak pre-technic civilisation, where Ro'Kah
was an accepted and necessary part of inter-Kra'Vak relations and conflict, offspring
found to be Sia'Na were considered defective and either exiled from the War Family or
simply killed. As the Kra'vak culture matured and their society became more
sophisticated, however, it was realised that the Sia'Na held a unique place in the
scheme of things - they could serve as a moderating influence on warriors consumed by
the fury of Ro'Kah, making proper tactical and strategic decisions without minds
clouded by the fury.
The presence, words and thoughts of a Sia'Na have a calming and controlling
influence on Ro'Kah-enraged warriors, which seems to be accomplished through a
mixture of cultural conditioning, "religious" belief and some kind of empathic link
- the Kra'Vak's own scientists and psychologists don't fully understand it
themselves, any more than human science really understands the occasional
manifestation of apparent psionic abilities and other paranormal phenomena in
humans.
To be born Sia'Na is to live a precarious life in Kra'Vak society; they are both revered and
despised at the same time by the warriors, and it is not unknown for a warrior in the grip
of Ro'Kah to turn on and kill a Sia'Na who tries to calm and control him. For this reason,
the Sia'Na are masters of subtle diplomacy and persuasion; these skills grow with age and
experience, as does the Sia'Na's ability to affect larger numbers of Kra'Vak over a wider
area - some of the Sia'Na Elders can extend their influence to a huge crowd, or even by
remote communications, while the younger and less adept of the caste must be in close
physical proximity to the warriors they are attempting to "advise".
Kra'Vak warships will normally have one Sia'Na in their crew to act as advisor and
moderator to the ship's commander; in very large ships (dreadnoughts and heavy
carriers), and in any ship acting as a fleet flagship, there may be a small group of three
or more Sia'Na assigned to the Flag command staff.
In essence, the presence of Sia'Na in a ship crew or force command is a reversal of the
role of the "Political Officers" found in ESU forces; while the Political Officer will watch
for signs of cowardice and dissent among the troops or crew and force them to keep
fighting, the Sia'Na exists to STOP the Kra'Vak warriors from throwing away their lives,
ships and equipment in their frenzied battle-rage - effectively, to stop them from
losing the war for the sake of winning the battle.

THE KRA'VAK DOMINION

The Dominion of the Kra'Vak is composed of a large number of Clans, each Clan being
divided into many separate War Families. A Clan is a "nation" of Kra'Vak numbering
from the hundreds of thousands to many millions, while a War Family is an extended
tribal bloodline group of maybe several hundred members.
The Kra'Vak homeworld is known as Zha'Vak (Literal translation: "World of the Sorrow
Killer "). The other worlds of the Dominion include heavily settled colony worlds similar
to the human Inner Colonies, populated by multiple Clans, and many smaller colonial

outposts which are usually settled by members of single Clans. It is not unusual for
settlers on a colony world to found their own "new" Clan as a breakaway from their
origins on the homeworld, while others maintain close ties to Zha'Vak.
The Star Force of the Dominion (the Kra'Vaka'Kia'Kon - literally, Spear of War Host of
the People of the Sorrow Killer), which comprises the space naval assets of the
Kra'Vak armed forces, is theoretically a homogenous single entity made up from the
fleets of the various Clans under a unified command structure. In practice, the
individual fleets and units are still primarily loyal to their own Clans and internal
dissent (and even outright combat) is not unknown; mixing units from different clans
is generally a bad idea and is avoided wherever possible except in the largest
operations.

advanced grav-drives that give them much greater manoeuvrability than Human ships
of the same basic thrust level.
KraVak warships do not carry energy screens or large amounts of hull armour.
Instead, their ship hulls are built with a much higher degree of internal structural
integrity than most Human designs, to withstand and absorb internal damage caused
by penetrating weapon hits (which has an additional bonus of being better able to
take the massive stresses imposed by the enhanced manoeuvring capabilities of their
advanced grav drives).
The standard Kra'Vak point defence weapon is a one-shot system known as the
"scattergun", which fires a large cloud of relatively small kinetic projectiles at very
high velocities over a wide area. It is a very effective system against fighters,
missiles and other similar threats, and can also do a small amount of damage to a
close-range ship target. Reloading a scattergun with a new charge of projectiles is a
lengthy operation that can only be done when the ship is not in combat, so each
scattergun is only able to fire once in a battle - for this reason, larger Kra'Vak ships
carry a fairly large number of individual scattergun launchers, which has the
additional advantage that they can salvo-fire a number of them (or even all of them)
in one go if under heavy attack. Scatterguns are all-arc weapons, able to fire at any
target around the ship.
Human military forces generally refer to Kra'Vak ships by their UNDIA-assigned
codenames (KEG, KERF etc.), though the actual Kra'vak names for most of the classes
are known from translations of intercepted signal traffic. Human crews and troops
tend to use their own slang terms for the Kra'Vak in general, the most common being
"Kravs" or "Kraks", though there are many less printable variants in use.

GAME NOTES FOR KRA'VAK PLAYERS

A Kra'Vak fleet has the potential to be very powerful and effective, but requires careful
handling in battle. The bulk of any Kra'Vak warship's offensive power - in the shape of
its main K-guns - is concentrated in the Fore arc, and thus tactical manoeuvring is of
the utmost importance to ensure that the desired targets are kept within the rather
narrow fire arc.

A pair of Di'Tok Destroyers (model code FT 405).
Painted and photographed by Agis Neugebauer.

KRAVAK WARSHIPS
The Kra'Vak are especially adept at gravitic manipulation technology, having
developed it to a much higher degree than Humanity has. All their major weapon
systems are grav-based, and rely heavily on kinetic projectile weapons rather than
energy or particle beam technologies.

Whether you are playing in cinematic or vector movement, the ability to anticipate the
enemy's movements holds the key to victory. The Kra'Vak lack any "placed-marker"
ordnance (such as the Humans' salvo missiles or the Phalons' plasma bolts), but their
direct fire weaponry is hugely effective IF it can be kept on target.
Use the limited supplies of scatterguns wisely - opposing forces will often try to swamp
the defences of their enemies with massed attacks, but the Kra'Vak's ability to salvofire all their scatterguns at once if they wish can be a devastating counter to this sort
of tactic, albeit at the cost of leaving some ships defenceless against any follow-up
waves.

The drive systems of Kra'Vak ships seem to be very effective for their size, and
make full use of the Kra'Vak mastery of Grav technology to permit rates of
manoeuvre far in excess of those possible to human ships. Their FTL (jump) drives
appear to function in much the same way as human systems, using very similar
principles.

ID CONFIRM - VA'SAN

The warships of the KraVak Dominion are equipped with gravitic-accelerator kinetic
projectile guns, known as K-guns, which fire solid penetrators at incredibly high
velocities. These kinetic penetrators cause massive damage when they impact their
target; screens are of no use against them, and even heavy armour is of little effect while armour will stop the smallest K-gun rounds from doing too much internal
damage, the larger classes of K-gun will simply slice through the armour and rip into
the ship's internals.

K'V FIGHTER (HEAVY)

UNDIA CODENAME: KART

The accuracy of the K-guns is limited by their fire-control computer predictions of

exactly where the target ship will be when the projectiles arrive, hence their accuracy
degrades with range and the consequent increase in time lag on receiving target
positioning data. The different classes of K-gun battery on KraVak ships vary mainly
in the mass of the projectiles fired, thus the damage caused by a successful hit
increases with battery size. All K-gun classes are assumed to have similar firing
velocities and targetting systems, however, so range and hit probabilities remain
constant regardless of battery class. The long accelerator "barrels" of the K-guns
mean that the majority of them are only able to bear through one single fire arc, and
Kra'Vak ships are generally designed with all their major weapon mounts in the
frontal arc - the main exception to this being the smallest K-gun, the K-1, which is
compact enough to be mounted in a traversable mount and is thus capable of all-arc
fire.

CREW 2
LS 27.4 - 16.89
THR 553.7 - 22.8

Normal Kra'Vak design practice is to mount a small number of the largest class of
forward-mounted K-guns that the ship can carry, backed up by a one or more K-1
systems as secondary weapons. This makes tactical manoeuvring and ship facing of
primary importance to the KraVak, and to this end all their ships are equipped with

XENO FILE 1: THE KRA'VAK

KRA'VAK SHIP DESIGN AND SYSTEMS
HULL INTEGRITY
Kra'Vak hulls are generally very strong internally with (normally) no added armour as most of their own weapons are kinetic penetrators, they build their hulls to
absorb as much damage as possible before reaching each threshold point. Kra'Vak
hull boxes require 1 MASS each, cost 2 points each and are arranged in a standard
four-row damage track using the normal rules.
Kra'Vak ships MAY carry armour in some cases, though it is unusual for them (and
none of the designs in this book use it). If required, Kra'Vak armour has the same
MASS (1 per box) and cost (2 points per box) as human armour, and functions in
exactly the same way.
MAIN DRIVE SYSTEMS
To differentiate the Kra'Vak advanced drives from the normal drives, a slightly
different icon is used on the Ship Systems Displays, and when the thrust rating of a
Kra'Vak drive is written down it is suffixed by an "A" to indicate that the advanced
drive rules should be used (eg: a Kra'Vak drive with a thrust rating of 6 is denoted
"6A").
KraVak Advanced Grav Drives are costed at the rate of THREE points per MASS of
drive system, instead of the 2 points per MASS charged for "normal" drives.
KRAVAK THRUST AND MANOEUVRE
[Note that these rules for Advanced Drives also apply to Sa'vasku ships, but NOT to
the Phalons.]
Cinematic Movement:
When using the Cinematic ("standard" FT) movement system, KraVak vessels move
and manoeuvre in exactly the same way as other ships, using the normal rules, with
one exception: they are permitted to use MORE than half their available thrust for
COURSE CHANGES, and may in fact use up to ALL their thrust rating for this. Thus a
KraVak ship with a thrust of 6 could actually make a full 180-degree about-face in
a single move (though its path would in fact be an L-shape manoeuvre rather than
a turn in place, as it is still bound by the normal rules about splitting course
changes between the start and midpoint of the movement). The effect of this is to
make KraVak ships much more manoeuvrable than their human counterparts, which
is a compensation for the more restricted fire arcs of their major weaponry.
It should be noted that this ability does NOT mean that KraVak ships gain any
extra thrust factors to carry out this increased manoeuvring; if the ship uses all of
its thrust to change course, it will still have none left over to accelerate or
decelerate with.
Vector Movement:
If you prefer to use the new Vector Movement System introduced in Fleet Book 1,
the Advanced Grav Drives of the Kra'Vak ships operate in the following way:
Because their drive's grav-field may be directed as required, Kra'Vak ships may
apply thrust in ANY direction (in game terms, in any of the 12 standard course
directions), regardless of the facing of the ship at the time. As with standard
vector movement, they may rotate to any facing for the cost of one thrust factor,
but they do not use "pushes" (as their main drive capability makes this irrelevant).
Any thrust used for rotation comes out of the main drive's thrust factor, so is not
available as propulsive thrust in the same turn - thus a thrust-4 Kra'vak ship
currently on heading 12 but facing course 9 could apply, say, 3 thrust in any
chosen direction (it could apply it in direction 12, accelerating itself along its
current heading without changing its facing) and then the remaining 1 thrust to
rotate to any new facing desired in order to bring its main K-guns to bear on a
target.
FTL DRIVES
Kra'Vak FTL (Jump) drives operate in exactly the same way as human ones, using
the standard rules; MASS requirement is 10% of total ship mass, and cost is 2
points per MASS used.
KINETIC GUNS (K-GUNS)
The Kra'Vak main antiship weapons are Grav-powered kinetic projectile weapons
known as K-guns.
K-guns are direct fire weapons which may fire once per turn at any target within
their fire arc(s).
All K-guns, regardless of class, have the same range bands and require the same
score to hit.

For each K-gun firing, roll a single die: the score needed to hit starts at 2+ at range of
0 - 6 mu, then rises by one for each additional 6 mu range band - so the hit score
needed is:
Range 0 - 6 mu:
2+ to hit
Range 6 - 12 mu:
3+ to hit
Range 12 - 18 mu: 4+ to hit
Range 18 - 24 mu: 5+ to hit
Range 24 - 30 mu: 6 to hit
When a hit is scored, roll a second die: if the number rolled is GREATER THAN the CLASS
of the K-gun, then the damage done is equal to the class number of the gun; if the roll
is EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN the class of the K-gun, then the damage is DOUBLE the gun
class.
There is one exception to this rule - a natural roll of 6 always does just damage equal
to the gun class, even for K-guns of class 6 and larger.
EXAMPLE: A class-3 K-gun will inflict 6 points of damage on a roll of 1 - 3, and 3 points
on a 4 - 6; a class-5 K-gun will inflict 10 points of damage on a roll of 1 - 5, and 5 points
on a 6. Applying the exception rule, a class-6 K-gun will do 12 points on a 1 - 5, but only
6 points on a 6.
K-gun damage is very effective a piercing armour - if it hits a target with armour
(including Sa'Vasku carapaces) then the hit does ONE point of its damage to the
armour, and all the remainder straight through to the hull - so a hit doing 4 DP would
knock out one armour box and three hull boxes. Note that this damage distribution is
PER SINGLE HIT, not a cumulative effect of a salvo from several K-guns.
The multi-layered Phalon shell armour is an exception to this - when K-guns of
sufficient power hit Phalon shells, they take out one box from EACH shell level before
delivering any remainder to the hull itself (see the Phalon rules section for more
explanation and examples).
It should be noted that unlike beam weapon fire, where all the dice rolled against a
given target may be rolled together, in the case of K-gun fire it is important to roll the
dice for each CLASS of K-gun separately (or with differently coloured dice if available),
so that you know which classes scored hits and thus how to roll for the damage.
SPECIAL NOTE: Class-1 K-guns are able to fire in a limited point-defence mode, in the
same way that human class-1 beams are. K-1 systems that fire in this role may not also
perform antiship fire in the same turn. Roll 1 die for each K-1 firing, and one hit is
scored on a roll of 5 or 6 (one "hit" kills one fighter or missile; K-1 shots have no
effect against Phalon plasma bolts).
As with other Kra'Vak weapons fire, there are no rerolls - this actually makes them a
little less effective than class-1 beams in the PD role, as the beams get a reroll on a
score of 6.
The MASS requirements for the various K-gun classes are as follows:
K-1 (all-arc fire) 2 MASS
K-2 (one arc)
3 MASS
K-2 (two arc)
4 MASS
K-3 (one arc)
5 MASS
K-4 (one arc)
8 MASS
K-5 (one arc)
11 MASS
K-6 (one arc)
14 MASS
Class-1 K-guns automatically get all-round (6 arc) fire; class-2 K-guns may have one or
two fire arcs. All other K-guns are limited to single-arc fire only.
Larger classes of K-gun are possible, and the mass required rises by 3 per additional class.
All K-guns cost 4 points per MASS used.
MULTIPLE KINETIC PENETRATOR (MKP) PACKS
The MKP is a one-shot antiship weapon similar in some ways to the human
Submunitions Pack, used on some small Kra'vak ships to give a powerful shipkilling
punch. It fires through 1 arc only (usually the Fore arc), and has a range of 12 mu.
When fired, one die is rolled - on a 1-3 no hits are scored, on a 4 or 5 it scores 1 hit,
and on a 6 it scores two hits (no rerolls).
For each hit scored, the MKP does 4 damage points, of which the first one is taken on
armour (if any) and the remainder on hull - as for a class-4 K-gun hit. Phalon layered
shells have the same effect as against K-gun hits.
The MKP icon is crossed out when it has been fired.
EXAMPLE: If an MKP shot rolls 4 or 5, it will inflict 4 DP, as 1 to armour and 3 to hull; if
it rolls a 6, it will inflict two SEPARATE hits, so will do a total of 2 DP to armour and 6 to
hull.
The MASS of an MKP is1, and the cost is 4 points.

XENO FILE 1: THE KRA'VAK

SCATTERGUNS:
Kra'Vak ships use their one-shot scatterguns as point-defence weapons. Any number of
available scatterguns may be fired at one time, at any valid targets.
After use, the scattergun icons that have been fired should be crossed through to show
that they cannot be used again in that game.

Each Fighter Bay uses 9 MASS and costs 18 points, to carry up to 6 MASS of fighters,
ie: one group; bays for other small craft use 1.5 x the MASS of craft carried, and cost 3
points per MASS used.
FIGHTERS
Kra'Vak fighters, like human ones, operate in groups of 6 craft. They have 6 Combat
Endurance Factors, which may be used up to make attacks and/or to make secondary moves.

Kra'Vak ships do not use (or require) ADFC (Area-Defence Fire Control) systems.
As per the standard rules for PDS fire, the Kra'Vak do NOT need a functioning fire
control system in order to fire their scatterguns, even as antiship weapons.
Each scattergun may only fire once per game. It may fire at any single target (fighter
group, missile salvo, plasma bolt etc.) in the point-defence phase of the turn. A
scattergun may fire at any target within a range of 6 mu (they are all-arc weapons), or
may fire at any target that is attacking another ship provided that the ship itself is
within 6 mu of the scattergun-firing ship. In other words, it may fire as a pointdefence or an area-defence system to the player's choice, according to the standard
engagement rules for such systems.
SPECIAL NOTE: if used in the area-defence role, firing at fighters or missiles engaging a
friendly ship, if the effect roll scores a ONE then some of the scattergun projectiles hit
the ship that is being defended, and inflict 1 damage point on it.
A scattergun may also be used as a point-blank range antiship weapon, at any target
within 6 mu. In this mode it is fired in the main ship weaponry fire phase, and it does
not require the use of an operational fire control.
The effect of a scattergun charge depends on the type of target fired at; 1 die is rolled
in all cases:
Against standard fighters or salvo missiles, the shot kills 1D6 elements from the
group/salvo (ie: 1-6 fighters/missiles). If targetting HEAVY fighters, halve the number
of kills (round up).
Against plasma bolts, a roll of 4 or 5 reduces the bolt strength by 1, and a 6 reduces it
by 2 (no rerolls).
Against ship targets, a roll of 4 or 5 inflicts 1 damage point, and a roll of 6 inflicts 2
damage points (treated as two separate hits, so both are taken on armour if
applicable). No rerolls.
Each scattergun takes up 1 MASS, and costs 5 points.
FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS
Kra'Vak ships carry fire-control systems that function exactly as their human
equivalents; use all standard rules for them. A Kra'Vak FC system requires 1 MASS and
costs 4 points.
As their scatterguns have an in-built "area-defence" capability (ie: they are not only
useful against targets attacking their own ship), the Kra'Vak have no need for ADFC
systems.
CREW FACTORS AND DAMAGE CONTROL
Kra'Vak ships use the same rules for crew factors and damage-contol parties as human
ships; there is one crew factor for each 20 MASS of ship (or part thereof), so for example
a MASS 30 Kra'Vak ship has a crew factor of 2, and a MASS 41 ship a factor of 3.

The standard Kra'Vak fighter is the Ra'San (literally "Little Sliver of Mother", UN
codename KIP) and the heavy variant is the Va'San ("Great Sliver of Mother", UN
codename KART). The Ra'San is treated as a regular multirole fighter, and the Va'san
gets the defensive bonus for being a "heavy" fighter. The costs per group of 6 are 18
points per Ra'San group (3 per fighter) and 30 points per Va'San group (5 per fighter).
Both types have a basic move of 24 mu, and can make a secondary move of up to 12
mu at the expense of one CEF.
Standard and heavy Kra'Vak fighters both attack with 1 die per fighter in the group, but
they use kinetic rather than energy weapons and their damage profile is slightly
different from the beam-armed human fighters; on a roll of 1-3 they do no damage, on
a 4 or 5 they do 1 DP, on a 6 they do 2 DP but this treated like a K-gun hit: 1 DP to
armour and 1 DP to the hull.
There are no rerolls made when firing at ships, and screens have no effect against the
fighters' kinetic weapons. Note that when in combat against other fighters, the Kra'Vak
fighters DO get a reroll on scores of 6 - in this case it represents a number of separate
kills rather than an amount of damage inflicted.
Kra'Vak fighter groups are not subject to the standard Fighter Morale rules; the
effects of Ro'Kah ("Clouded War Mind" - see notes on Kra'Vak psychology) affect
Kra'Vak fighter pilots much more than ship crews, because they do not have a Sia'Na
on hand to moderate their war rages - there are far too few Sia'Na to allocate one to
every two-or three-person fighter crew, or even to each fighter group. Whenever a
Kra'vak fighter group wishes to press home an attack, a roll should be made on the
same basis as a standard Fighter Morale check - in this case, however, the roll is not
to see if the Kra'Vak will break off, but instead to see if they will fall into the Ro'Kah
frenzy. If the die score is greater than the remaining number of fighters in the group,
then the remaining pilots become Ro'Kah enraged. In this state, the attack
continues, but each fighter gets to roll TWICE for its attack instead of the normal
once. If there is an ACE pilot in the group, it also gets a doubled attack, so actually
gets FOUR rolls!
After this one attack pass in Ro'Kah, the effects will start to wear off and the group
MUST return to its carrier without performing any further attacks; if using the rearming rules, then the group may be relaunched for a new mission as normal after the
necessary period.
Ro'Kah also affects dogfighting and intercepting Kra'Vak fighters - make a roll for each
group at the start of the dogfight resolution, and if the check rolls more than the number
of fighters then they get the doubled attacks for as long as the dogfight lasts - when it is
over (when the enemy is destroyed or breaks off successfully - the Kra'Vak will not break
off while in Ro'Kah) then they will attempt to return to their carrier. If "bounced" during
their return they are treated as a group that have exhausted their CEF.

KRA'VAK SHIP DESIGN PROCEDURE

There is no cost or mass requirement for crew factors.

1) SELECT OVERALL SHIP MASS.

The crew factors are indicated by small stars placed in some of the hull boxes on the
SSD - the placement of the crew factors being determined by dividing the mass used for
hull integrity by the total crew factor (and rounding UP in all cases): for example, a
ship with a crew factor of 4 and a hull integrity of 30 would have a crew factor star
placed in every EIGHTH box on the damage track (30/4 = 7.5, rounded up to 8), and
the last star in the last box - so the crew factors would be in the eighth, sixteenth,
twenty-fourth and thirtieth (final) boxes.

2) SELECT HULL INTEGRITY VALUE and create Damage Track.

When a hull box containing a crew star is lost to damage, that crew factor is lost due
to accumulated crew casualties.
Crew factors represent the number of damage control parties (DCPs) available to the
ship - one DCP for every remaining crew factor on the ship. DCPs may attempt to repair
systems lost to threshold damage, with up to three DCPs being allocated to each
attempted system repair - the basic roll of success in the repair attempt is 6 if one DCP
is working on it, -1 for each additional DCP allocated to the task (so the allowed
maximum of 3 DCPs will make a successful repair on a roll of 4+). Any one system may
only be the subject of one attempted repair roll in any given turn.
HANGAR BAYS
Kra'Vak ships may carry hangar bays for fighter groups (or other embarked small craft)
in exactly the same way as human ships, using all the standard rules.

3) INSTALL MAIN DRIVE.

4) INSTALL FTL DRIVE (if required).
5) TOTAL MASS USED SO FAR.
6) INSTALL CHOSEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS.
7) TOTAL POINTS VALUES to calculate NPV of ship.
1) SELECT OVERALL SHIP MASS.
This may be any size desired, though most combat starships fall within 10 - 300 MASS.
EXAMPLE: We choose to build a Kra'Vak battlecruiser-size ship with a total MASS factor of
100 . This gives us a basic hull that will take up to 100 MASS of hull strength, drives and
other systems.
2) SELECT HULL INTEGRITY LEVEL and create Damage Track.
Any amount of the available MASS may be used for HULL INTEGRITY, which represents
the overall structural strength of the ship's hull and its ability to absorb damage. The
only restriction is that the MINIMUM amount of hull integrity is 10% of the ship's
total MASS.

10

XENO FILE 1: THE KRA'VAK

5) TOTAL MASS USED SO FAR

The actual MASS of the Hull Integrity chosen is equal to the number of DAMAGE BOXES
the ship has, which are then organised into four rows (in accordance with the Damage
Track rules).

Add up the total MASS used by the Hull Integrity, Main Drive and FTL Drive systems,
and subtract this from the overall ship MASS to find the amount left for fitting-out
with offensive, defensive and other systems.

Crew factors should be worked out and indicated on the damage track at this
point (mainly for Damage Control purposes), in exactly the same way as for
human ship designs.

EXAMPLE: Our design has used 40 MASS for Hull Integrity, 20 for Main Drive and 10 for
FTL Drive. This totals 70 MASS from the overall 100, so we are left with 30 MASS for
fitting-out.

Kra'Vak ships do not generally use much (if any) hull armour, but if you wish to use a little there is no prohibition from doing so - then it should be added here using the same rules
and costs as human armour from Fleet Book 1 (1 MASS per box of armour, cost is 2 points
per MASS used).

So far, our ship has cost 100 + 80 + 60 + 20 = 260 points.

6) INSTALL CHOSEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS
Choose the desired mix of weapon installations and other systems to suit the ship's
intended mission profile, ensuring that the total MASS required for all the systems does
not exceed the available MASS left from step 6.

EXAMPLE: Because most of their weapons are kinetic penetrators, Kra'Vak ships generally use
heavy internal hull structures to minimise the effects of penetrating hits; we choose to
allocate 40 MASS to Hull Integrity, so the ship has 40 Damage Boxes (which will be arranged
on the Damage Track as four rows of 10). The points cost for the hull integrity will be 2 x
MASS used, ie: 80 points.

EXAMPLE: Most K'V warships have their main offensive power in a small number of large
K-guns bearing in the Fore arc, plus a few small turretted (all-arc) class 1 K-guns as
secondary weapons; defences consist of a number of one-shot Scattergun charges. We
decide to fit the largest main guns that we can on our battlecruiser, so opt for a pair of
K-5 systems backed up by just a single K-1 and four Scatterguns. We decide that 2 fire
control systems will probably be enough at this stage, and add these to the design. This
is a hard-hitting strike ship made to kill large enemy targets, but will need support from
other K'V ships to be truly effective.

3) INSTALL MAIN DRIVE .

All ships require a Main Drive; the MD takes up 5% of the ship's overall MASS for every
Thrust Factor of drive power. Because they are classed as Advanced Drives, Kra'Vak main
drives cost 3 points per MASS used.
EXAMPLE: We decide to give our ship a Thrust Factor of 4, so this takes 4 x 5 = 20% of the
overall MASS; the ship's Main Drive takes up 20 MASS.
The cost will be 20 x 3 = 60 points.

K5 x 2 (F) @ 11 MASS
K1 x 1 (all arc) @ 2 MASS
2 x Fire Controls @ 1 MASS
Scatterguns x 4 @ 1 MASS

= 22 MASS
= 2 MASS
= 2 MASS
= 4 MASS

Total MASS used for systems

= 30

4) INSTALL FTL DRIVE (if required).

If an FTL drive is to be part of the design, it is fitted at this stage and uses up 10% of
the overall ship MASS. Cost is 2 points per MASS used.
EXAMPLE: Our ship needs an FTL drive; it will take up 100 x 10% = 10 MASS.
The cost will be 10 x 2 = 20 points.

7) TOTAL POINTS VALUES

EXAMPLE: The points costing of our example ship is:

KRA'VAK WEAPONS AND DEFENCES SUMMARY

KINETIC GUNS (K-GUNS)

Range 0 - 6 mu: 2+ to hit
Range 6 - 12 mu: 3+ to hit
Range 12 - 18 mu: 4+ to hit
Range 18 - 24 mu: 5+ to hit
Range 24 - 30 mu: 6 to hit
If hit scored, roll again; roll GREATER than K-gun class = DP equal to class, roll
LESS THAN OR EQUAL to class = DP equal to class x 2. Natural roll of 6 is always
class x 1 DP, even for K-6 and larger.

BASIC HULL (MASS 100)

HULL INTEGRITY (MASS 40)
MAIN DRIVE (KV type) (MASS 20)
FTL DRIVE (MASS 10)
K5 x 2 (F) (MASS 22)
K1 x 1 (all arc) (MASS 2)
4 x Scatterguns (MASS 4)
2 x Fire Controls (MASS 2)

MASS x 1
MASS x 2
MASS x 3
MASS x 2
MASS x 4
MASS x 4
MASS x 5
MASS x 4

Total cost (NPV - Nominal Points Value):

100 points
80 points
60 points
20 points
88 points
8 points
20 points
8 points
384 points

First DP of hit taken on armour, remainder penetrates.

Class-1 K-guns ONLY can fire in limited point-defence mode: 1 fighter/missile
kill is scored on a roll of 5 or 6; no rerolls.
ICONS (examples):

K-1 (all-arc)

K-4 (one arc)

MULTIPLE KINETIC PENETRATOR (MKP) PACKS
One-shot system, range 12 mu. 1 die rolled: 1-3 = no hits, 4 or 5 = 1 hit, 6 = 2
hits (no rerolls).
Each hit does 4 damage points, one to armour (if any) and remainder on hull.

KRA'VAK SYSTEMS STATUS DISPLAY (SSD)

The diagram below is an example of how to read the Kra'Vak SSDs on the ship data
panels. Please note that this is NOT an actual ship design, just a key to the symbols
and icons used!

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
Class 1 K-gun
(6 arc fire)

ICON:
SCATTERGUNS
One shot system, all-arc fire. May fire in point-defence, area-defence or antiship mode.
1 die is rolled in all cases:
Against standard fighters or salvo missiles, the shot kills 1D6 elements from the
group/salvo (ie: 1-6 fighters/missiles). Against HEAVY fighters, halve the
number of kills (round up). No rerolls.
Against plasma bolts, 4 or 5 reduces the bolt strength by 1, 6 reduces it by 2.
No rerolls.
Against ship targets, 4 or 5 = 1 DP, 6 = 2 DP (two separate hits, so both are
taken on armour if applicable). No rerolls.

Class 3 K-guns
(1 arc fire)

Hangar bay

MKP Pack
firing F only
Fire Control Systems (2)
Scatterguns

Damage Track
Crew Factor Marker

Command Bridge Icon

Life Support Icon

In area defence mode, roll of 1 = 1 DP against ship under attack.

FTL Drive

ICON:

Advanced Main Drive

(Thrust 4A)

11

Power Core Icon

Core Systems Box

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

LU'DAK CLASS
SNEAK DEADLY KILLER
(UN codename KIN)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT: Scoutship

Lu'Dak class SNEAK DEADLY KILLER

TMF: 11
NPV: 44

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Scoutship
Equivalent:
Displacement: 1100 tonnes
(MASS factor 11)
Hull Integrity: 3
11 [Crew Factor: 1]
Crew:
1 x Class-1 K-gun, 1 x
Armament:
MKP packs (one-shot)
None
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors, 1 Fire
control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2185.

The Lu'Dak is a small ship (though heavier than most human scouts) that packs an extremely large punch for its mass.
Intended as a fast strike ship for killing small enemy vessels or soft targets (eg: merchantmen), it carries a single-shot MKP
pack that allows it to cause severe damage to ships much larger than itself, plus a K-1 battery that permits it to snipe at
long range if required.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Ka'Tak class RAIDER DARK KILLER

TMF: 20
NPV: 79

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Striker/Corvette
Displacement: 2000 tonnes (MASS
factor 20)
Hull Integrity: 6
Crew:
20 [Crew Factor: 1]
Armament:
1 x Class-1 K-gun, 2 x
MKP packs (one-shot)
Defences:
1 x one-shot
"scattergun" kinetic
killer
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors, 1 Fire
control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

KA'TAK CLASS
RAIDER DARK KILLER
(UN codename KEG)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Striker/Corvette

First encountered: 2185.

Like the Lu'dak scout, the Ka'Tak is a very powerful one-pass shipkiller with the ability to gut even a medium-size ship with its
two MKP packs; it is quite large and expensive for a Corvette, however, with a mass and cost equivalent to many human frigate
classes. Ka'Taks are commonly used as commerce raiders and to provide an independant fast strike force for fleet operations.

12

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

DA'KAK CLASS
SWIFT WAR KILLER
(UN codename KITE)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Frigate

Da'Kak class SWIFT WAR KILLER

TMF: 30
NPV: 119

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Heavy Frigate
Equivalent:
Displacement: 3000 tonnes
(MASS factor 30)
Hull Integrity: 9
30 [Crew Factor: 2]
Crew:
2 x Class-2 K-guns
Armament:
2 x one-shot
Defences:
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors, 1 Fire
control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2184.

The Da'Kak is the most commonly encountered Kra'Vak light escort, and is normally classed as a frigate although (in
common with most of their smaller ships) its actual mass is very high for this classification, and is more like that of a
human destroyer. It is a capable and effective ship, if slightly hampered by the lack of an all-arc K-gun system to back up
the significant main armament of two forward-firing K-2 guns.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Di'Tok class LITTLE DEATH DARK SHIP

TMF: 40
NPV: 159

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Heavy Destroyer
Displacement: 4000 tonnes
(MASS factor 40)
Hull Integrity: 12
Crew:
40 [Crew Factor: 2]
Armament:
2 x Class-2 K-guns,
1 x Class-1 K-gun
Defences:
3 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

DI'TOK CLASS
LITTLE DEATH DARK SHIP
(UN codename KERF)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Destroyer

First encountered: 2183.

The Di'Tok was the first Kra'Vak ship class to be encountered by human forces, when one killed the PAU battlecruiser
Kinshasa off New Lusaka in 2183. Since that opening shot, Di'Toks have been present at almost every battle between human
and Kra'Vak fleets. Mounting the same main guns as a Da'Kak frigate, the Di'Tok supplements these with an all-arc K-1 and a
better loadout of defensive scatterguns.

13

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

VO'BOK CLASS
HUNTER SILENT SHIP
(UN codename KESTREL)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Light Cruiser

Vo'Bok class HUNTER SILENT SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 60
NPV: 238

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Light Cruiser
Equivalent:
Displacement: 6000 tonnes
(MASS factor 60)
Hull Integrity: 18
60 [Crew Factor: 3]
Crew:
2 x Class-3 K-guns,
Armament:
1 x Class-1 K-gun
4 x one-shot
Defences:
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2184.

The Vo'Bok is the smallest commonly-encountered Kra'Vak cruiser, and is found supporting most task force groups; they are
also used as flagships for small raiding parties of Da'Kak FFs and Di'Tok DHs, and several have been reported on solo
operations deep within human space.
Main armament of the Vo'Bok is good, though it has only a single K-1 system for all-arc backup.

SI'TEK CLASS
ROVER DARK SHIP
(UN codename KERMIT)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Patrol/Escort Cruiser

Si'Tek class ROVER DARK SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 70
NPV: 278

First encountered: 2185.

The Si'Tek is a typical medium sized escort cruiser, normally found supporting the Kra'Vak battleline in major operations. It
has a powerful antiship armament, plus enough scattergun charges to be useful in the area-defence role to protect other
ships from fighter and missile attack.

14

Human Class
Equivalent:
Patrol or Escort Cruiser
Displacement: 7000 tonnes
(MASS factor 70)
Hull Integrity: 21
Crew:
70 [Crew Factor: 4]
Armament:
2 x Class-3 K-guns,
2 x Class-1 K-guns
Defences:
5 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

KO'TEK CLASS
ATTACK DARK SHIP
(UN codename KYLIE)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Strike Cruiser

Ko'Tek class ATTACK DARK SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 70
NPV: 275

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Strike Cruiser
Equivalent:
Displacement: 7000 tonnes
(MASS factor 70)
Hull Integrity: 21
70 [Crew Factor: 4]
Crew:
3 x Class-3 K-guns,
Armament:
1 x Class-1 K-gun
2 x one-shot
Defences:
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2187.

The Ko'Tek is an odd departure from "normal" Kra'Vak ship designs doctrine, in that it mounts an odd number of large
primary K-guns; one of the latest types of Kra'vak warship to be identified, the Ko'Tek appears to be a modified version of a
Si'Tek hull with the addition of a third K-3 system, the other defensive systems being downrated to make room for it.
Whether this is a full production class or a field-expedient conversion is unclear at this time, but since its appearance a
number of Ko'Teks have been seen in action.

VA'DOK CLASS
GREAT DEADLY SHIP
(UN codename KONTOS)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Cruiser

Va'Dok class GREAT DEADLY SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 84
NPV: 329

First encountered: 2184.

The Va'Dok is a typical Kra'vak heavy cruiser design, with good thrust (affording excellent manoeuvrability with its advanced
grav drives), a strongly-built hull and a deadly fore-arc armament of twin K-4 guns. With only limited secondary weaponry
(as single K-1 battery) and a relatively small number of scattergun charges for defence, the Va'Dok is very much a strike ship
designed to kill its prey as quickly as possible.

15

Human Class
Equivalent:
Heavy Cruiser
Displacement: 8400 tonnes
(MASS factor 84)
Hull Integrity: 27
Crew:
84 [Crew Factor: 5]
Armament:
2 x Class-4 K-guns,
1 x Class-1 K-gun
Defences:
4 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6A,
FTL (jump) drive

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

TI'DAK CLASS
FIGHT DEADLY FLYER
(UN codename KENNY)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battlecruiser

Ti'Dak class FIGHT DEADLY FLYER

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 100
NPV: 393

5
1

5
1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Battlecruiser
Equivalent:
Displacement: 10000 tonnes
(MASS factor 100)
Hull Integrity: 36
100 [Crew Factor: 5]
Crew:
2 x Class-5 K-guns,
Armament:
2 x Class-1 K-guns
5 x one-shot
Defences:
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4A,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2185.

The smallest Kra'Vak design to mount the immensely powerful K-5 guns, the Ti'Dak is built around a slightly smaller version
of the Ko'Vol battleship design, and is commonly found as a heavy unit in cruiser task forces, often serving as a flagship for
such formations.

KO'VOL CLASS ATTACK

SORROW MONSTER
(UN codename KATSUMI)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battleship

Ko'Vol class ATTACK SORROW MONSTER

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
5

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 121
NPV: 467

First encountered: 2184.

The Ko'Vol has a similar weapons fit to its smaller cousin, the Ti'Dak BC, but slightly better defensive and secondary systems
and a much larger and stronger hull structure. The Ko'Vol is used as a major battleline unit, and is also commonly
encountered as a long-range independant patrol craft or heavy raider.

16

Human Class
Equivalent:
Battleship
Displacement: 12100 tonnes
(MASS factor 121)
Hull Integrity: 48
Crew:
121 [Crew Factor: 7]
Armament:
2 x Class-5 K-guns,
3 x Class-1 K-guns
Defences:
6 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4A,
FTL (jump) drive

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

TMF: 160
NPV: 626

Lo'Vok class GREAT DEATH SORROW SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
1
5

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Battledreadnought
Equivalent:
Displacement: 16000 tonnes
(MASS factor 160)
Hull Integrity: 54
160 + fighter crews.
Crew:
[Crew Factor: 8]
2 x Class-5 K-guns,
Armament:
2 x Class-3 K-guns,
3 x Class-1 K-guns
7 x one-shot
Defences:
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
4 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4A,
FTL (jump) drive
Hangar Bays: 1 bay holding 6 fighters
(fighter cost not included)

4
LO'VOK CLASS
GREAT DEATH
SORROW SHIP
(UN codename KATANA)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battledreadnought

First encountered: 2184.

The Lo'Vok is the standard Kra'vak light dreadnought or heavy battleship class, with an extremely powerful main weapons
suite comprising twin K-5 guns and a pair of lighter (but still deadly) K-3 types. Like most human battledreadnoughts, the
Lo'Vok has a limited fighter handling capability, with a single hangar bay to carry one group of supporting fighters.

Yu'Kas class
RULER WAR MOUNTAIN

First encountered: 2185.

As the human translation of its Kra'Vak name suggests,
the Yu'Kas is often used as a command flagship in
major war fleets, and it is a massive ship with
devastating firepower. The awesome power of the four
huge class-6 kinetic guns, backed up by a large array
of lighter K-gun batteries, make the Yu'Kas able to
cripple many a large warship with a single well-aimed
salvo. As with all Kra'vak ships, its advanced grav
drive allows it amazing manoeuvrability for a vessel of
its size, and it also has the capacity to carry a single
embarked fighter group.

YU'KAS CLASS RULER

WAR MOUNTAIN
(UN codename KICKBACK)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Superdreadnought

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
6

1
1

TMF: 220
NPV: 883

1
1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Human Class
Equivalent:
Superdreadnought
Displacement: 22000 tonnes
(MASS factor 220)
Hull Integrity: 72
Crew:
220 + fighter crews.
[Crew Factor: 11]
Armament:
4 x Class-6 K-guns,
5 x Class-1 K-guns

17

Defences:

13 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
5 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 3A,
FTL (jump) drive
Hangar Bays: 1 bay holding 6 fighters
(fighter cost not included)

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

First encountered: 2185.
The Do'San is the Kra'vak equivalent of a Light Carrier,
able to hold four groups of fighters (usually a mix of
Ra'San standard type and Va'San heavies). It is used in
smaller battle groups that do not warrant the
inclusion of the huge Ko'San class. Although primarily
a fighter carrier, the Do'San mounts enough antiship
armament to give a good account of itself in the
battleline, plus the usual Kra'vak hull strength to
absorb considerable punishment.

Do'San class
FOLLOWER SLIVER MOTHER

DO'SAN CLASS FOLLOWER

SLIVER MOTHER
(UN codename KIMONO)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Tactical (Light) Carrier

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
3

TMF: 180
NPV: 671

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Ko'San class
ATTACK SLIVER MOTHER

Human Class
Tactical Carrier
Equivalent:
Displacement: 18000 tonnes
(MASS factor 180)
Hull Integrity: 54
180 + fighter crews.
Crew:
[Crew Factor: 9]
4 x Class-3 K-guns,
Armament:
3 x Class-1 K-gun

7 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4A,
FTL (jump) drive
Hangar Bays: 4 bays each holding
6 fighters
(fighter cost not included)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Defences:

Defences:

11 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killers
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4A,
FTL (jump) drive
Hangar Bays: 6 bays each holding
6 fighters
(fighter cost not included)

Human Class
Equivalent:
Heavy Carrier
Displacement: 24000 tonnes
(MASS factor 240)
Hull Integrity: 72
Crew:
240 + fighter crews.
[Crew Factor: 12]
Armament:
4 x Class-3 K-guns,
4 x Class-1 K-guns

KO'SAN CLASS ATTACK SLIVER MOTHER

(UN codename KINGPIN)
HUMAN CLASS EQUIVALENT: Heavy Carrier

TMF: 240
NPV: 917

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

First encountered: 2185.

The huge Ko'San is the biggest Kra'vak warship yet encountered; it is primarily a fighter carrier, with
6 groups of mixed Ra'San and Va'San fighters embarked, but is also well armed and protected and
can hold its own in combat against most enemies. In particular its scattergun point defence
armament is extensive and makes it very dangerous for enemy fighters to attack. The Ko'San also
has a drive power that gives it a manoeuvrability well in excess of any human carrier class.

18

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Sha'Ken class WAR SUPPLIES MOVER

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:

H
5

Light Freighter/
Fleet Tender
4000 tonnes
(MASS factor 40)
10
40 [Crew Factor: 1
(Merchant)]
1 x Class-1 K-gun
1 x one-shot
"scattergun"
kinetic killer
Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Main Drive Rating 2A,
FTL (jump) drive
18 mass [1800 tonnes]

Displacement:
Hull Integrity:
Crew:
Armament:
Defences:

Sensor Suite:
Drive Systems:
Cargo Holds:

SHA'KEN CLASS WAR

SUPPLIES MOVER
(UN codename KODO)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Light Freighter/
Fleet Tender

H
5

H
4

H
4

TMF: 40
NPV: 97

First encountered: 2186.

The Sha'Ken is a small supply ship often found accompanying Kra'Vak war fleets, carrying stocks of disposable munitions (Kgun ammunition, scattergun reloads and the like) and other consumables. Sha'Ken class ships have also been known to be
used as small assult carriers to transport ground troops and equipment for attacks on minor human outposts where only
limited resistance is expected.

To'Rok class SEEKER STEALTHY SHIP

First encountered: 2186.

The To'Rok is a reconnaissance ship used by the Kra'Vak to scout
out enemy-held systems prior to attack; it also carries
considerable laboratory facilities and a pair of small interface
landers, and is used to insert covert teams onto enemy occupied
worlds to obtain captives for study and analysis. The ship is well
enough armed to protect itself if necessary, but it is not intended
to be a warship.

TO'ROK CLASS
SEEKER STEALTHY SHIP
(UN codename KANGA)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Explorer/Recon ship

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
2

H
3

H
2

H
3

TMF: 60
NPV: 196

H
2

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Explorer/Recon Ship
Displacement: 6000 tonnes
(MASS factor 60)
Hull Integrity: 18
Crew:
60 [Crew Factor: 3]
Armament:
1 x Class-2 K-gun,
1 x Class-1 K-gun
Defences:
2 x one-shot
"scattergun" kinetic killers

19

Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,

1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4A,
FTL (jump) drive
Lab or
Hold Space:
10 mass [1000 tonnes]
Shuttle Bay: 6 mass, holding 2 x mass 2
interface shuttles
(4 points each, cost not
included in NPV)

KRA'VAK SHIP RECORD CHART

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

Name:

ID:

ID:

ID:

Name:

Name:

Turn 1

Name:

Name:

ID:

Name:

Ship ID

ID:

Name:

ID:

ID:

Turn 2

Turn 3

Turn 4

Turn 5

Turn 6

Turn 7

Turn 8

Turn 9

Turn 10

2000 GZG. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use

XENO FILE 2: THE SA'VASKU

Unofficially, most human crews refer to Sa'Vasku ships in general as "Spikeys" or
"Spineys", an obvious reference to their appearance.

[Note: in terms of the game background, Humanity knows almost nothing of the
Sa'Vasku beyond what has been observed of their combat capabilities. Much of the
detail provided below is background material to permit the development of
interesting scenarios; it does NOT represent information known to the players'
"characters" on board the ships in battle......]

Each Sa'Vasku "ship" is a single large bioconstruct, an artificial living entity in its
own right. Where separate "crew" have been encountered from Sa'Vasku vessels,
these have themselves been constructs engineered for specific functions, such as
the terrifying biotech warriors used as boarding parties and ground assault forces.
A Sa'Vasku ship-entity will carry many smaller constructs of almost limitless variety,
each specialised for a particular task, and these constructs are generally divided
into two types - Volitionals, which have their own individual intelligence and
limited free will, and Non-Volitionals which are mindless, bio-robotic worker
constructs.

The Sa'vasku have been around for a long time, and have seen many younger starfaring
civilisations rise, falter and die over the millennia. The Sa'Vasku themselves are huge,
almost immobile creatures that live a semi-aquatic existence surrounded and tended by
their myriad biotech constructs; they are not immortal, but are incredibly long-lived by
human standards, with lifespans into thousands of years. There are only a small number
of actual Sa'Vasku on each of the worlds that form their domain, and they seldom leave
those worlds, carrying out almost all contact between their own worlds and with other
races by proxy through their constructs.

The bulk of the main hull structure of a Sa'vasku ship is composed of living
matter termed "biomass", which serves both as structural integrity and to provide
raw material for the construction (or growth) of their fighter-equivalent Drones
and for other forms of expendable ordnance; raw biomass may also be used in
attempts to repair and replace damaged systems lost in combat. Most Sa'Vasku
ships other than the very smallest ones also carry an "armour" layer, termed a
carapace, which is composed of dead biomass that may not be converted for
other purposes.

Their technology is very advanced in some ways, though restricted in others by the
form that it has taken - they long ago reached a technological plateau and have
remained there ever since. Their control over biological engineering and biotechnology
is very great, and their constructs are supremely versatile, but they are certainly not
invincible against the "hard" weapons technology of the younger races.
The almost simultaneous (in galactic terms) rise of three aggressive and expansionist
young races - Humanity, the Phalons and the Kra'Vak - within the same smallish volume
of space has been unprecendented in recent history (that is, in the last few hundred
millennia!), and the Sa'Vasku find this highly disturbing - some of them believe it to be
the result of genetic manipulation by races even older than themselves, known simply
as the Old Ones, for reasons that even the Sa'Vasku do not understand.
Above all, the Sa'Vasku wish to maintain a balance - they are quite happy for things to
carry on as they have for many tens of thousands of years, and they fear change and
instability. They have realised that a total victory by any one of the younger races over
the others would leave the Sa'Vasku themselves at a disadvantage and open to attack.
While they generally dislike open interference in the affairs of other races (and
consider the younger races somewhat beneath their attention), in this case they have
found themselves getting involved - in effect, they wish to ensure that no-one actually
wins the war, and ideally they would like to see all the protagonists wear themselves
down through attrition until none of them are a further threat to the stability of the
area.
The Sa'Vasku will thus involve themselves (via their constructs) on any and all sides at
different times, especially if one race appears to be gaining the upper hand on a
strategic level, which makes their agenda less than comprehensible to the other races if a Sa'Vasku force is encountered it is impossible to know whether it will act as friend
or foe until it makes its intentions known (often by opening fire...) and reasoned
communication is impossible unless the Sa'Vasku themselves initiate it.
There have been a number of "meetings" between the Sa'Vasku constructs and humans
since first contact was made in 2188, always at the instigation of the Sa'Vasku. They
totally ignore all hailing and communication attempts from human ships, and humanity
has learnt that they must wait for the Sa'vasku to come to them. At times, human
communication attempts have been met with attacks of great ferocity, and it may well
be that they interpret some of the transmissions as hostile sensor sweeps; as with
everything concerning the Sa'Vasku, this remains pure conjecture to the humans.

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

Sa'Vasku starships are known as Sra'Kith'Aa (Far-Reacher War Entities), a term which
has been used by their contact constructs during their limited communication with
representatives of humanity. Throughout the period of the Xeno War, Humanity knows
effectively nothing about the Sa'Vasku, or their motivations, beyond that little which
the aliens themselves have deigned to tell them.
No signals, verbal or otherwise, between Sa'vasku craft or other constructs have ever
been detected by human ships except when the Sa'Vasku desired contact with
humanity, and it is theorised that they use either a form of telepathic communication
or something equally undetectable to current human sensor technology.

The mobility, offensive and defensive capabilities of Sa'Vasku ships are uniquely
flexible - they can reconfigure themselves at will to direct their available power to
drives, screens, weapons etc. in any proportion, which makes them very
unpredictable to fight against - a ship that exhibits phenomenal thrust levels at one
moment may suddenly divert all power to its weapon nodes and unlease a hugely
powerful energy blast at potentially enormous ranges. The Sa'Vasku are not
invincible, however, and a ship that is using most of its power for thrust or weapons
fire is in turn very vulnerable to attack, as it will not have enough power left over to
put up its defences or to repair damage it sustains.

GAMING NOTES FOR SA'VASKU PLAYERS

Commanding a Sa'Vasku fleet in combat is a challenge, and requires a bit more thought
and step-by-step planning than most of the other fleets in Full Thrust. If you can
master this, however, the special capabilities of the Sa'Vasku ships make them
formidable and dangerous opponents.
If a Sa'vasku player correctly anticipates his enemy's actions and uses his ships' unique
abilities to counter them in the most efficient way, then he will be hard to beat; if he
fails to do this, he will probably get soundly thrashed!
In their "average" form, Sa'Vasku ships are no more powerful (and in some ways worse)
than equivalent classes from other races and powers. Their great strength, however, lies
in their ability to choose how to distribute their available energy to optimise different
areas of their performance on a turn by turn basis. If a Sa'Vasku player expects to take
a lot of fire from his opponent in a particular turn, then he can divert the majority of
his ships' energy to mobility and/or defences to either avoid or fend off the attacks in the next turn he may be in an ideal position to attack, and may then switch all his
energy output to offensive measures and fry the opposition. A single medium-sized
Sa'Vasku ship can have the maneuverability of a scout, the defences of a fleet carrier or
the attack strength of a dreadnought - but NOT all at the same time..... if it gets
caught in the wrong place, with the wrong energy distribution, it WILL die quickly....

SA'VASKU SHIP DESIGN AND SYSTEMS

MAIN DRIVE NODES
Unlike the other races, who all have specific thrust ratings given to their ships' drive
systems at the design stage, the thrust output of Sa'Vasku drives depends on the
amount of power points being fed to them each turn.
The amount of power required to produce a given thrust factor is dependant on the
overall MASS of the ship, and is determined thus:

The "names" of the Sa'Vasku ship classes are given in the ship data as the closest
human-pronounceable rendition of the actual sound patterns made by the contact
constructs (the specialised volitional constructs that the Sa'Vasku use to interface
with humanity on the rare occasions that they deem this necessary) when describing
the ships, and the nearest possible human translation of these sounds - the use of
terms like "elder" and "younger" in these ship names appears to imply that Sa'Vasku
ships actually grow and mature into larger classes as they get older, but this may be
just a linguistic confusion (though it is the source of many "When I grow up I want
to be a Superdreadnought..." jokes among the Human military!).

Power points required = 2% x thrust required x ship MASS .

It is not known if Sa'Vasku ship-entities have individual names as well, and there is
the possibility that some confusion may exist between these and the "class" names.
Most human navies have adopted the UNDIA-assigned codenames as standard
designations for the Sa'Vasku ship types encountered so far.

When Sa'Vasku drives become damaged as a result of a threshold check (or a needle
hit), they require double the normal amount of power input for a given thrust rating
(4% x thrust x MASS); again, these amounts are worked out in advance and entered up
on the thrust table for easy reference in play.

So, for thrust-6 with a MASS 80 ship, the power requirement is 2% of (6 x 80) = 9.6
(rounded up to 10) power points.
Now, don't worry about the bit of maths here - the power requirements will be
calculated at the design stage and entered up on the ship's Status Display in the form
of the "thrust table" (the ship designs in this volume have these already done, of
course), so you can see at a glance exactly how much power must be put into the
ship's Move pool to get the thrust level you want for that turn.

21

XENO FILE 2: THE SA'VASKU

The THRUST TABLE on each Sa'Vasku SSD consists of a column headed "T", which is the
amount of thrust produced, and a "P" column which gives the number of power points
required to produce that thrust factor. There are two entries in the "P" column, the first
for the drive node in its fully operational state and the second (after the slash) for a
damaged drive node. A whole (integer) number of power points must be spent on
thrust, so if the factor required is greater than one entry in the T column but less than
the next, then the power point cost is as for the next higher entry.
SA'VASKU THRUST AND MANOEUVRE
Sa'Vasku drives count as Advanced Drives, and use the same rules for movement in
either Cinematic or Vector mode as for the Kra'Vak drives. Refer to the Kra'Vak
movement rules section of this volume, and apply the same rules and restrictions.
The icon used for a Sa'Vasku drive node is the same as that used for the Kra'Vak
advanced drives, as a little reminder that the same movement rules are used in both
cases; as there is no set thrust rating for Sa'Vasku drives, however, there is a star rather
than a thrust number printed in the drive icon.
FTL DRIVE NODE
A Sa'Vasku FTL Node is the equivalent of any other race's FTL Drive system. It requires
points equal to its own MASS, from the Movement (M) pool, to activate.

The amount of power that must be available in the M pool for a given thrust factor
is listed in the Thrust table on the ship's SSD.
Power allocated to the ATTACK (A) pool is available for powering the ship's Stinger Node(s)
to fire beam shots, and to fire any Pod Launcher Nodes if the ship is so equipped.
The amounts of power required for each weapon system are given in the relevant rules
for those systems. Power from the A pool is also used to fire the ship's point-defence
systems in the form of its Spicules.
Power allocated to the DEFENCE (D) pool is available for energising the ship's Screen
Node(s) if it has any; the amount required to power each screen node is equal to the
mass of the node, which in turn is equal to 5% of the overall ship mass.
The allocation of sufficient power to the D pool to operate the screen node(s) implies that
the screen is in operation for the whole of that turn. If a ship does not have a functional
screen node, then it does not gain any benefit from power allocated to the D pool.
Power allocated to the REPAIR (R) pool is available for system repair attempts, and is
also used by Broodships (or other ships with drone wombs) to "grow" their drone
(fighter) groups.

When activated, the FTL jump occurs according to the standard rules.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any power points that are not used by the end of the turn,
whichever pool they have been allocated to, are lost. There is no power storage
from turn to turn. "USE IT OR LOSE IT...."

FTL Node MASS is equal to 10% of ship mass. Cost is 2 points per MASS of node.

STINGER NODES

BIOMASS BOXES

The Stinger Node is the Sa'Vasku equivalent of a standard FT beam weapon, except that
its output is variable according to how much power is allocated to each shot.

The damage track of a Sa'vasku ship is composed of biomass boxes in the same way as
other ships have hull integrity boxes. Where damage is concerned, a biomass box works
exactly like a hull box - one is crossed off for every damage point inflicted on the ship's
structure, working along each row from left to right. A threshold check is made for the
ship's systems when the end of a row of the damage track is reached.
Biomass differs from other races' ship hulls in that it can be deliberately consumed by
the ship itself, to produce drone (fighter) groups or ammunition for pod launchers
nodes, and also to repair damaged ship systems. All biomass consumed this way is
crossed off the damage track in the opposite direction to that of inflicted damage - ie:
from the right-hand end of the bottom row.
Consumed biomass does NOT cause threshold checks to be taken, even if an entire row
or more is consumed. Only inflicted damage can cause threshold checks to be made.
If the consumed biomass boxes meet the damaged ones (ie: all biomass boxes have
been crossed out for one reason or the other), then the ship is dead.
Each biomass box requires 1 MASS, and costs 2 points.
CARAPACE
A Sa'Vasku ship may have a number of Carapace boxes in a single row above the top
row of its biomass boxes; Carapace boxes are indicated by circle icons, in the same way
as human ship armour, and the carapace is treated like armour in all respects. The
carapace boxes represent a hardened layer of "dead" biomass, and may not be
consumed by the ship.
Carapace boxes take 1 MASS each, and cost 2 points per box.
POWER GENERATORS
A Sa'vasku ship has a number of Power Generators (usually four) placed at the end of
the rows of its biomass boxes. The total amount of power points available to the ship
for each game turn is the sum of the numbers in all the still-functioning Power
Generators.
As accumulated damage reaches the end of a row of biomass boxes, the Power
Generator at the end of that line is AUTOMATICALLY lost; it does not have to be rolled
for during the threshold check. Full rows of biomass consumed by the ship does NOT
cause the loss of a power generator.
MASS required for generators is 1 per power point value. Cost is 2 points per MASS.
ALLOCATING POWER
Each turn during the orders phase, the ship's available power (the sum of the
functioning power generators) must be divided between 4 "power pools"; MOVEMENT,
ATTACK, DEFENCE, and REPAIR, noted on the record chart as M, A, D and R. The division
of the available power points between the four pools is entirely at the player's
discretion, and there is no requirement to place any power points into any one pool power may be allocated to all four pools, or concentrated in just one or two, to choice.
Power allocated to the MOVEMENT (M) pool is available for powering the Main Drive
Node to apply thrust, or to power up the FTL Drive Node to make an FTL jump off-table.

One power point channelled through a stinger node produces a 1-die beam shot at up
to 12 mu range. At up to 24 mu range, 2 power points are required for a 1-die shot, at
up to 36 mu it doubles again to 4 power points per die, and continues doubling as
range increases - thus a Sa'Vasku beam may have any range you like as long as there is
enough power to pump into the Stinger node, but it is a system of rapidly diminishing
returns - you can get a shot to reach a huge 72 mu range if you REALLY want to, but
you will need 32 power points just to roll a single hit die!
Power points (PP) required for 1-die shot at:
0-12 mu range 1 PP
12-24 mu range 2 PP
24-36 mu range 4 PP
36-48 mu range 8 PP
48-60 mu range 16 PP
60-72 mu range 32 PP
and so on....
A single stinger node may handle any required amount of power for each shot, but each
node may only fire at one target in any given turn. All stinger nodes may fire through 3
arcs, and the node may be placed to cover any three contiguous arcs at the designer's
choice.
Sa'Vasku beam die rolls are read exactly as for standard beam weapons, ie: against an
unscreened target, 1-3 = no effect, 4-5 = 1 DP, 6 = 2 DP + reroll.
Human and Sa'Vasku screens, and Phalon vapour shrouds all affect stinger shots in the
standard way.
Rerolls are made for natural rolls of 6, and stingers do not penetrate armour (ie: hits
are taken by armour/carapace boxes if any remain, before applying any hits to hull)
unless reroll damage is inflicted.
EXAMPLE 1: A Sa'Vasku ship has 6 PP available for a single stinger shot; if it was to
engage a target within 12 mu, it would get to roll 6 dice; at up to 24 mu, 3 dice, and to
36 mu 1 die only (and 2 PP would be wasted).
EXAMPLE 2: A Sa'Vasku ship has 10 PP available for a single stinger shot; if it was to
engage a target within 12 mu, it would get to roll 10 dice; at up to 24 mu, 5 dice, and
to 36 mu 2 dice.
POD LAUNCHER NODES
A Pod Launcher Node is a projectile launcher which can fire a number of different
munitions, which are created by consuming biomass and then fired using power points
from the Attack (A) pool. The type of munition to be fired may be decided by the
player at the time of launch - it does not have to be specified earlier. Three different
munition ("pod") types are detailed below - the Lance, Leech and Interceptor Pods, but
the Sa'Vasku are versatile enough to use many others - we may add a few more types
later, or players are free to come up with some as house rules provided everyone in the
playing group is happy with them.

22

XENO FILE 2: THE SA'VASKU

Pod Launcher Nodes are single-arc weapons, and most of the pod munitions may only
engage targets that fall within the launcher's arc (the exception being the short-range
Interceptor Pod, as detailed below).
The phase of the turn sequence in which a pod launcher fires depends on the munition it is
firing - Lance and Leech Pods are fired during the main ship fire phase, while Interceptor Pods
are fired in the point-defence phase. Regardless of this, a Pod Launcher may only fire once per
turn.
LANCE PODS
The Lance Pod is the Sa'Vasku's primary carapace (armour) penetrating weapon.
Lance Pods require 3 power points to fire, and consume 1 biomass. They may be fired at any
target that falls within the fire arc of the pod launcher.
To score a hit with a Lance Pod, roll 1 die: at 0-6 mu, a hit is scored on 3+, at 6-12 mu 4+, at
12-18 mu 5+, and at 18-24 mu a 6 is required.
When a lance pod hits its target, roll a second D6; the number rolled is the number of damage
points inflicted by the hit; as with Kra'Vak K-guns, only the FIRST point scored is taken off
armour/carapace (if any), the entire remainder penetrates through to kill hull boxes. There are
no rerolls for Lance Pod damage.
LEECH PODS
Leech Pods are very nasty weapon systems designed to inflict continuing damage on their
target.
Leech Pods require 3 power points to fire, and consume 1 biomass. They may be fired at any
target that falls within the fire arc of the pod launcher.
The range and to-hit mechanism is the same as given above for the Lance Pods.
When a leech pod hits its target, it does 2 points of immediate damage; however, it will the
CONTINUE to do damage turn by turn, unless it is killed off by the target ship. For every
subsequent turn that the leech torp is active, it does an additional 2 points of damage to the
target ship - so on the turn of impact it causes 2 points, on the next turn a further 2 points
and so on....
Leech Pod damage is non-penetrating - it will spread across the ship's surface, destroying
armour or carapace first before attacking the hull.
To kill off a leech pod, a crewed ship (Human, KV or Phalon) treats it as a damage control task
- the rolls, number of teams assigned etc. are exactly as for repairing a lost system - success
indicates the leech has been eradicated, failure means it continues to do damage next turn.
The attempts to kill it occur in the damage control phase, so if they fail then the leech will do
it's next turn of damage at the beginning of the following fire phase before there is another
chance to kill it.
Other Sa'Vasku ships attacked by a leech pod need to expend at least one power point
allocated to the Repair (R) pool to try and kill it - the required roll is 6, -1 for each additional
power point applied to the attempt up to a maximum of 3 points total (which will kill the
leech on a roll of 4+).
INTERCEPTOR PODS
An Interceptor Pod is a Pod Launcher munition which "bursts" after firing and releases a
cluster of miniature drones, like the Sa'Vasku's fighter drones but much smaller and with only a
one-turn lifespan; they are used as an area-defence weapon to hunt down and kill enemy
fighters, missiles and similar targets.
Firing an Interceptor Pod from a Pod Launcher Node requires 3 power points from the Attack
(A) pool, and also consumes 1 biomass.
The range of an Interceptor Pod is up to 12 mu, and any fighter group, missile salvo or plasma
bolt within 12 mu of the firing ship may be targetted - it does NOT have to fall within the fire
arc of the Pod Launcher, because the Interceptor mini-drones can steer themselves aftre
launching; nor does the target have to itself be attacking the firing ship, which makes the
Interceptor Pod suitable for the area-defence role..
The effect of an Interceptor Pod is the same as that of a Kra'vak Scattergun - against fighters
and missiles it kills 1 D6 members of the target group/salvo, and against plasma bolts a roll of
4 or 5 reduces the bolt strength by 1, while a 6 reduces it by 2.
Any fighter group, missile salvo or plasma bolt within 12mu may be targetted, not just those
attacking the firing ship.
DRONE WOMBS
Sa'Vasku drones (fighters) may only be grown and launched by ships which have Drone Wombs
- each womb can grow (or launch) one 6-drone group at a time. Sa'vasku ships produce drones
by converting hull biomass into the necessary components - it takes 1 biomass to "grow" 1
drone, and they may only be produced in full groups of 6 - if a ship has less than 6 available
biomass then it cannot grow a drone group.
Drones that survive their mission and return to their ship are "reabsorbed" - they are broken

down into their constituents and the biomass that created them is available for reuse,
either as more drones or for other purposes.
A Drone Womb takes 1 turn to grow a drone group, and a second turn to launch it.
Recovery is the reverse - one turn to recover the remaining drones of the group (which will
almost certainly be understrength) and a second turn to reabsorb the biomass. While the
womb is occupied by any drones (whether being grown, reabsorbed, or held ready for
launch) it may not do anything else.
Creating drones uses power as well as biomass - one power point must be expended for
every drone grown, so a full group uses 6 power points; these power points must be
allocated to the Repair (R) pool at the start of the turn, and the growing of the drones
must be noted in the ship's orders for the turn.
Launching, recovering and reabsorbing of drones does NOT require power point expenditure.
Each Drone Womb take up 3 MASS and costs 9 points, not including the necessary biomass
to convert into drones.
EXAMPLE: a Sa'Vasku Broodship has four drone wombs. In turn one, the ship grows a drone
group in each of wombs 1 and 2, which consumes 12 of its hull biomass and also costs it 12
power points. In turn 2, the ship launches both its newly-created groups, and grows two more
in wombs 3 and 4, at the cost of another 12 power points and 12 biomass. These groups will
be able to launch in turn 3.
Later in the game, 3 surviving drones from one of the groups straggle back to the Broodship they are recovered, and the following turn may be broken down to recover 3 biomass for reuse
(this does not cost any power points).
DRONE FIGHTERS
The standard Sa'Vasku Drone (Ku'Tho'Ra, UN codename SPRIG) is a small, limited-range
space combat construct "piloted" by a single volitional brain (which is an integral part of
the drone). The drones are assembled, or grown, from biomass constituents within the
Drone Wombs of specially-equipped Sa'Vasku ships, which correspond to the fighter carriers
of other races. The Sa'Vasku do not use specialised drone types, the standard drone being
the combat equivalent of a typical human multirole fighter.
When and if recovered by their broodship (or any other Sa'Vasku ship with an functional
drone womb), drones are not re-armed like human fighters - their biomass is reabsorbed
by the carrier and may be reused to "grow" new drone groups, or used for other
functions.
Once launched from the drone womb, Sa'Vasku drones follow the same rules as human and
other fighters, including endurance (standard 6 Combat Endurance Factors), movement and
combat. They are NOT subject to Fighter Morale checks, and will always attack if the owning
player desires it. All Sa'Vasku drones are the equivalent of standard multirole fighters, ie: a
movement allowance of 24mu, and an attack of 1 die per drone. They may make secondary
moves of 12mu at the cost of one CEF.
Sa'Vasku drone groups always consist of 6 drones when at full strength.
SCREEN NODES
A Screen Node requires power points allocated to the Defence (D) pool equal to the MASS of
the node in order to operate. When powered, each screen node is the equivalent of a single
level of standard screen generator. A ship that carries two screen nodes may choose to
power one, both or neither in a given turn, depending on how much power it allocates to
the D pool. As with human screens, more than two screen nodes may be carried as
redundant backups, but no more than two will have an effect at any one time.
MASS required per Screen Node is 5% of ship MASS, with a MINIMUM size of 3 MASS. Cost
is 3 points per MASS of node.
Example:
A Sa'Vasku ship of MASS 120 carries two Screen Nodes; each node occupies 5% of the ship, or
6 MASS, and thus requires 6 power points to operate. If the player allocates 6 power points to
the D pool, one of the screen nodes is considered active and the ship benefits from the effects
of a level-1 screen for that turn. If 12 points are allocated to the D pool, then both screen
nodes are powered and the ship is treated as having level-2 screens in operation.
SPICULES
Spicules are the Sa'Vasku equivalent of Point Defence Systems; each Spicule may fire once
per turn at any one target that is attacking the ship, and requires one power point from the
ATTACK (A) pool to fire (though they are technically "defensive" weapons, they are active
weapons rather than passive systems and hence draw power from the A pool rather than the
D). A spicule has all-arc fire, and when fired rolls one die with exactly the same effects as a
standard PDS.
Note that the Sa'Vasku do not use an equivalent of an ADFC, and hence Spicules are not
capable of area-defence fire - that role is filled by the "interceptor pods" that may be fired
from Pod Launchers.
Each Spicule is 1 MASS, and costs 3 points.

23

XENO FILE 2: THE SA'VASKU

CORTEX NODES
A Cortex Node is the Sa'Vasku version of a Fire Control system, and it works in
exactly the same way as a standard fire control. Cortex Nodes do NOT require
power allocated to them.
Each Cortex Node occupies 1 MASS, and costs 4 points.
DAMAGE CONTROL
Ship systems lost at threshold checks may have repairs to them attempted by
expending power points from the Repair (R) pool equal to the MASS of the system
being repaired, AND making a die roll for success; 4+ on a D6 is required to
successfully repair the system.
If the roll succeeds, then 1 biomass is consumed to fabricate the components for
the repair.
If the roll fails, then the biomass is not consumed but the power used IS wasted.
Only one roll is permitted per damaged system each turn. Lost Power Generator
systems MAY be replaced in this manner, but only if enough power points are
available from the surviving PGs for the task.

SA'VASKU SHIP DESIGN PROCEDURE

supply the energy for everything else. Any amount of MASS may be allocated to
PGs, with each MASS generating one power point each turn.
EXAMPLE: We decide to allocate 22 MASS to PGs, giving our ship a power
generation capacity of 22 points per turn while it remains undamaged. The PGs are
always divided into 4 separate systems placed at the end of the rows of the
damage track - in this case our ship will have 2 PGs each of factor 6, and 2 of
factor 5; the stronger PGs are always on the lower damage track rows (so that the
weaker ones are lost first when damage is inflicted), so the four PGs will be
arranged as 5/5/6/6. The cost of the PGs will be MASS x 2, = 44 points.
5) ADD MAIN DRIVE NODE
All ships require a Main Drive Node, which requires 10% of the ship's overall
MASS; the amount of thrust the node will produce depends on the amount of
power channelled through it in any one turn.
EXAMPLE: Our 100 MASS ship thus needs to use 10 MASS for its main Drive Node.
The Main Drive Node costs 10 x 2 = 20 points.
6) INSTALL FTL DRIVE
If an FTL drive is to be part of the design, it is fitted at this stage and uses up
10% of the overall ship MASS.
EXAMPLE: Our ship needs an FTL drive; it will take up 10 MASS.
The FTL Node costs 10 x 2 = 20 points.

1) SELECT OVERALL SHIP MASS.

7) TOTAL MASS USED SO FAR

2) SELECT HULL INTEGRITY VALUE (BIOMASS) and create Damage Track.

Add up the total MASS used by the Biomass, Carapace, Power Generators, Main
Drive and FTL Drive systems, and subtract this from the overall ship MASS to find
the amount left for fitting-out with offensive, defensive and other systems.

3) ADD CARAPACE.
4) ADD POWER GENERATORS.
5) INSTALL MAIN DRIVE NODE.
6) INSTALL FTL DRIVE NODE (if required).

EXAMPLE: Our design has used 30 MASS for biomass, 10 for carapace, 22 for Power
Generators,10 for Main Drive, and 10 for FTL Drive. This totals 82 MASS from the
overall 100, so we are left with 18 MASS for further systems.

7) TOTAL MASS USED SO FAR.

8) INSTALL CHOSEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SYSTEM NODES

8) INSTALL CHOSEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SYSTEM NODES.

Choose the desired mix of weapon and other system nodes to suit the ship's
intended mission profile, ensuring that the total MASS required for all the
systems does not exceed the available MASS left from step 7.

9) TOTAL POINTS VALUES to calculate NPV of ship.

10) CREATE THRUST TABLE.

1) SELECT OVERALL SHIP MASS
This may be any size desired, though most combat starships fall within 10 - 300
MASS.
EXAMPLE: We choose to build a Sa'Vasku construct with a total MASS factor of 100,
which will make it roughly equivalent to a human battlecruiser or small battleship
in size. This gives us a basic hull that will take up to 100 MASS.
2) SELECT BIOMASS (HULL INTEGRITY) LEVEL
Any amount of the available MASS may be used for BIOMASS, which is the living
inner structure of the ship; like the Hull Integrity of other ships, the BIOMASS
total represents the overall structural strength of the ship and its ability to
absorb damage, but also has other special functions unique to the Sa'Vasku. The
only restriction is that the MINIMUM amount of biomass is 10% of the ship's
total MASS.
The actual MASS of the biomass chosen is equal to the number of DAMAGE BOXES
the ship has, which are then organised into four rows (in accordance with the
standard Damage Track rules).
EXAMPLE: Sa'Vasku ships generally start with a fairly high biomass value, as some
of it will be "consumed" during the battle to launch some weapons and repair
damaged systems; we choose to allocate 30 MASS to biomass, so the ship has 30
Damage Boxes (which will be arranged on the Damage Track in four rows, split
8/8/7/7). The points cost for the biomass will be 2 x MASS used, ie: 60 points.
3) ADD CARAPACE
Sa'Vasku CARAPACE is the equivalent of human armour, and consists of "dead"
biomass on the outside of the hull to give added protection.
EXAMPLE: We decide that our ship will allocate 10 MASS to its carapace, giving us
10 boxes in one row above the hull damage track. At 2 points per box (the same as
armour for Human and Kra'Vak designs), the cost is 20 points.
4) ADD POWER GENERATORS
The Power Generators (PGs) are the most vital systems on a Sa'vasku ship, as they

EXAMPLE: For this ship, we choose three offensive Stinger (beam) nodes, each of
which has three fire arcs - they will be arranged to cover the AP/FP/F, FP/F/FS and
F/FS/AS arcs, giving optimum overlapping coverage of fire. One Pod Launcher Node
is chosen to increase the variety and power of weaponry, aimed through the Fore
arc. 2 Spicules will provide point-defence fire, and 2 Cortex nodes fulfil the
functions of fire-control systems. Finally, for defence we decide on a Screen Node
that will provide the equivalent of a level-one screen when powered up.
3
1
2
2
1

x
x
x
x
x

Stinger Nodes @ 2 MASS

= 6 MASS
Pod Launcher Node (1-arc) @ 3 MASS = 3 MASS
Spicules (PDS) @ 1 MASS
= 2 MASS
Cortex Nodes (Fire Controls) @ 1 MASS= 2 MASS
Screen Node @ 5% of overall ship MASS = 5 MASS

Total used for systems

= 18 MASS

9) TOTAL POINTS VALUES

EXAMPLE: The points costing of our example ship is:
BASIC HULL:
MASS x 1
100 points
BIOMASS (MASS 30) 8/8/7/7
MASS x 2
60 points
CARAPACE (MASS 10)
MASS x 2
20 points
POWER GENERATORS (MASS 22) MASS x 2
44 points
MAIN DRIVE NODE (MASS 10)
MASS x 2
20 points
FTL DRIVE (MASS 10)
MASS x 2
20 points
3 x Stinger Nodes (MASS 6)
MASS x 3
18 points
1 x Pod Launcher Node (MASS 3) MASS x 3
9 points
2 x Spicules (MASS 2)
MASS x 3
6 points
2 x Cortex Nodes (MASS 2)
MASS x 4
8 points
1 x Screen Node (MASS 5)
MASS x 3
15 points
Total cost (NPV - Nominal Points Value)

342 points

10) CREATE THRUST TABLE

Because of the way that Sa'vasku drives function, it will be a huge help to the
gameplay if you calculate beforehand how many Power Points are required to
produce a certain thrust factor for a given size of ship; that way, when writing
orders you can easily see the amount of power that has to be allocated to the M
(movement) pool in order to achieve the desired thrust level for that turn.

24

XENO FILE 2: THE SA'VASKU

EXAMPLE: Our MASS 100 ship requires power points equal to 2% of its MASS for
every thrust factor generated; thrust-1 thus requires 2 power points (PP) if the
drives are fully functional (4 if the drive is damaged), and so on. The thrust table
will look like this:

T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

P
2/4
4/8
6/12
8/16
10/20
12/24
14/16/18/20/22/-

SA'VASKU SYSTEMS STATUS DISPLAY (SSD)

The diagram below is an example of how to read the Sa'Vasku SSDs on the ship data
panels. Please note that this is NOT an actual ship design, just a key to the symbols and
icons used!

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
Stinger Node
(3 arc fire)

Screen Node (Level 1)

(This example requires
6 Power Points)

6
Cortex Nodes (2)
PD Spicule

Pod Launcher Node

Drone Womb
Carapace
Power Generator

2
2
Damage Track

3
3

FTL Drive Node

Main Drive Node

SA'VASKU WEAPONS AND DEFENCES SUMMARY

T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

P
1/3
3/5
4/8
5/10
6/8/9/10/-

Power/Thrust Chart

removed. Leech Pods must be removed by damage control rolls in same way as
system repairs.

STINGER NODES
Each stinger node may fire once per turn. Any amount of power may be put
through one node.
Power points (PP) required for 1-die shot at:
0-12 mu range 1 PP
12-24 mu range 2 PP
24-36 mu range 4 PP
36-48 mu range 8 PP
48-60 mu range 16 PP
60-72 mu range 32 PP
Stinger beam die rolls are read exactly as for standard beam weapons, ie:
against an unscreened target, 1-3 = no effect, 4-5 = 1 DP, 6 = 2 DP + reroll.

INTERCEPTOR PODS
Range is 12 mu; any fighter group, missile salvo or plasma bolt within 12 mu of
the firing ship may be targetted - it does NOT have to fall within the fire arc of
the Pod Launcher.
Against fighters and missiles an Interceptor Pod kills 1 D6 members of the
target group/salvo; against plasma bolts, 4-5 reduces bolt strength by 1, 6 by
2. No rerolls.
ICON:
Pod Launcher Node (Fore arc)

Human and Sa'Vasku screens, and Phalon vapour shrouds all affect beam shots
in the standard way.

SCREEN NODE
Each screen node requires power points from "D" pool to operate; effect is as
for 1 level of standard screens per operating screen node. Power requirement
indicated by number in icon.

ICON:
Stinger Node (3 arc, FP/F/FS)

ICON (example):

POD LAUNCHER NODES

Pod Launcher Nodes are single-arc; most of the pod munitions may only engage
targetswithin the launcher's arc (the exception being the Interceptor Pod,
which is short-range but steerable).
Each Pod munition fired consumes 1 biomass and takes 3 power points from "A"
pool.

Mass 5 Screen Node

SPICULES
Point-defence system that require 1 power point from "A" pool for one shot.
May fire once per turn, all-arc. Shot is resolved exactly as for standard PDS fire.

Typical pod types:

ICON:

LANCE PODS
Roll 1 die for hit: 3+ needed at 0-6 mu, 4+ at 6-12 mu, 5+ at 12-18 mu and 6
at 18-24 mu.
Hits score 1 D6 damage, first point off armour and remainder penetrating.

CORTEX NODES
Act as Fire Control systems, using standard rules. No power points required.

LEECH PODS
To-hit roll same as Lance Pods. On a hit, does 2 DP in first turn, but stays on
target and does 2 further damage points (non-penetrating) each turn until

ICON:

25

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

SA'AN'THA CLASS
SCOUT SHIP
(UN codename SHAM)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Scoutship

Sa'An'Tha class SCOUT SHIP

TMF: 10
NPV: 34

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Scoutship
Equivalent:
Displacement: 1000 tonnes
(MASS factor 10)
Hull Biomass: 3
Carapace
None
Integrity:
2
Power Gen:
1 x Stinger node
Armament:
None
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 x Cortex node
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

1
1
T
3
6
7
12

First encountered: 2188.

The Sa'An'Tha is a small Sa'Vasku scoutship with a reasonable power output for its mass, and a good amount of hull biomass
to absorb damage; it does not, however, have any protective carapace and so is quite a "soft target".

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

T
3
5
6
7
11
15

P
1/1
1/2
1/3
2/3
2/3/-

P
1/1
1/2
1/2/-

Sa'Kess'Tha class SCOUT SHIP

SA'KESS'THA CLASS
SCOUT SHIP
(UN codename STEM)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Scoutship

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Scoutship
Displacement: 1100 tonnes
(MASS factor 11)
Hull Biomass: 2
Carapace
Integrity:
1
Power Gen:
3
Armament:
1 x Stinger node
Defences:
None
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 x Cortex node
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

TMF: 11
NPV: 37

First encountered: 2189.

The Sa'Kess'Tha has a lower amount of hull biomass than the slightly smaller Sa'An'Tha, but it does possess some protective
carapace and enough power generation capacity to deal out an effective amount of beam fire at close ranges, or to
accelerate very rapidly when it needs to.

26

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

FO'KIIR'THA CLASS
YOUNGER ATTACK SHIP
(UN codename SLACK)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Corvette

Fo'Kiir'Tha class YOUNGER ATTACK SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 18
NPV: 59

1
1
1
1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Corvette
Equivalent:
Displacement: 1800 tonnes
(MASS factor 18)
Hull Biomass: 5
Carapace
1
Integrity:
4
Power Gen:
1 x Stinger node
Armament:
1 x PD Spicule
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 x Cortex node
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

T
2
3
4
6
9
12

First encountered: 2188.

The Fo'Kiir'Tha attack ship is the smallest class of true warship in the Sa'Vasku space forces. Though of limited mass, it has
sufficient power generation capacity to be a dangerous opponent to other small craft or merchant shipping, and enough
biomass and carapace to survive a moderate amount of incoming fire.

Fo'Sath'Aan class ATTACK SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

FO'SATH'AAN CLASS
ATTACK SHIP
(UN codename SQUID)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Frigate

1
T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
11
13

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Frigate
Displacement: 2400 tonnes
(MASS factor 24)
Hull Biomass: 8
Carapace
Integrity:
2
Power Gen:
6
Armament:
1 x Stinger node
Defences:
1 x PD Spicule
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 x Cortex node
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

P
1/1
1/2
1/3
2/4
3/4/-

P
1/1
1/2
1/3
2/4
2/5
3/6
3/4/5/6/-

1
2
2

TMF: 24
NPV: 77

First encountered: 2189.

The Fo'Sath'Aan class attack ship is a larger version of the Fo'Kiir'Tha "corvette", with a stronger hull biomass and a tougher
carapace. It is usually found in a close escort role, supporting the major fleet units.

27

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Fo'Vur'Ath class ELDER ATTACK SHIP

Human Class
Heavy Destroyer
Equivalent:
Displacement: 4000 tonnes
(MASS factor 40)
Hull Biomass: 12
Carapace
2
Integrity:
9
Power Gen:
2 x Stinger nodes,
Armament:
1 x Pod Launcher node
1 x PD Spicule
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 x Cortex node
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

2
T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
11

TMF: 40
NPV: 130

FO'VUR'ATH CLASS ELDER

ATTACK SHIP
(UN codename STING)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Destroyer

2
3

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Light Cruiser
Displacement: 5200 tonnes
(MASS factor 52)
Hull Biomass: 16
Carapace
Integrity:
3
Power Gen:
12
Armament:
2 x Stinger nodes,
1 x Pod Launcher node
Defences:
2 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

P
1/2
2/4
3/6
4/8
5/10
6/12
7/8/9/10/11/12/-

First encountered: 2188.

The Fo'Vur'Ath class is the largest common attack ship, and the smallest regularly-seen Sa'Vasku construct to carry a pod
launcher node which gives it the ability to fire torpedo-type weapons. The Fo'Vur'Ath has a realatively weak protective
carapace, but a good level of hull biomass (which it needs to provide raw material to feed the pod launcher).

Var'Arr'Sha class YOUNGER STRIKE SHIP

T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

P
1/2
2/3
2/5
3/6
4/8
5/6/7/8/9/-

3
3
3

TMF: 52
NPV: 169

First encountered: 2188.

The Var'Arr'Sha class strike ship is equivalent to a light cruiser in human terms, and fulfils much the same roles of both
independant raider and battleline escort. Well equipped with both offensive and defensive nodes and with a good power
generation ability, the Var'Arr'Sha is a versatile ship and one of the most commonly-encountered Sa'Vasku constructs.

28

VAR'ARR'SHA CLASS
YOUNGER STRIKE SHIP
(UN codename STALKER)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Light Cruiser

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

VAR'KIIR'SHA
CLASS STRIKE SHIP
(UN codename SLINKY)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Cruiser

Var'Kiir'Sha class STRIKE SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 64
NPV: 208
T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Cruiser
Equivalent:
Displacement: 6400 tonnes
(MASS factor 64)
Hull Biomass: 18
Carapace
4
Integrity:
16
Power Gen:
3 x Stinger nodes,
Armament:
1 x Pod Launcher node
3 x PD Spicules
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

4
4
4

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Cruiser
Displacement: 7000 tonnes
(MASS factor 70)
Hull Biomass: 20
Carapace
Integrity:
6
Power Gen:
16
Armament:
3 x Stinger nodes,
1 x Pod Launcher node
Defences:
3 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

P
1/3
3/6
4/8
6/11
7/14
8/10/11/13/14/15/-

First encountered: 2189.

The Var'Kiir'Sha class strike ship is a larger version of the Var'Arr'Sha, with a tougher carapace, a little more usable biomass
and a significantly greater power generation capacity. It is most commonly found as a major unit in small raiding squadrons.

Var'Thee'Sha class STRIKE SHIP

T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

P
1/3
3/5
4/8
5/10
6/13
8/15
9/10/12/13/14/15/-

4
4
4

TMF: 70
NPV: 226

First encountered: 2189.

With a slightly higher overall mass than the similar Var'Kiir'Sha, the Var'Thee'Sha class devotes most of this extra to biomass
and carapace strength, making it a more survivable ship but with similar offensive capabilities. The Var'Thee'Sha is often
encountered as a solo raider or patrol ship.

29

VAR'THEE'SHA CLASS
STRIKE SHIP
(UN codename SPANKER)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Cruiser

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

Thy'Sa'Teth class YOUNGER BROODSHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
5

4
T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

P
2/4
4/8
6/11
8/15
9/11/13/15/-

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

4
4

THY'SA'TETH CLASS
YOUNGER BROODSHIP
(UN codename STUBBY)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Escort Carrier

TMF: 94
NPV: 302

First encountered: 2189.

The Thy'Sa'Teth is the smallest class of Broodship (drone mothership) yet encountered. Used to provide drone support for
small task froces, the Thy'Sa'Teth devotes most of its capacity to the raw biomass and power generation needed to produce
and launch its drone groups, and is usually found escorted by a number of smaller ships to protect it from attack.

Human Class
Escort Carrier
Equivalent:
Displacement: 9400 tonnes
(MASS factor 94)
Hull Biomass: 36
Carapace
6
Integrity:
16
Power Gen:
1 x Stinger node
Armament:
1 x Screen node,
Defences:
3 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node
Drone
2 x Drone Wombs
Capability:

SHYY'THA'VAR CLASS
ELDER STRIKE SHIP
(UN codename SPIDER)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battlecruiser

Shyy'Tha'Var class ELDER STRIKE SHIP

TMF: 100
NPV: 326

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems
5

6
6
6
6

First encountered: 2188.

The Shyy'Tha'Var is a much larger version of the
Var'Thee'Sha and similar strike ships, and has a
large power generation capacity that makes it a
very powerful ship. Its tough carapace and a
screen generator node allow it to absorb a lot of
punishment, and a good biomass level permits
steady and deadly fire from its pair of pod
launcher nodes.

30

Human Class
Equivalent:
Battlecruiser
Displacement: 10000 tonnes
(MASS factor 100)
Hull Biomass: 25
Carapace
Integrity:
8
Power Gen:
24
Armament:
3 x Stinger nodes,
2 x Pod Launcher nodes
Defences:
1 x Screen node,
3 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

Ann'Var'Teth class YOUNGER LEADER SHIP

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

ANN'VAR'TETH CLASS
YOUNGER LEADER SHIP
(UN codename SMUDGER)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battleship

T P
1 2/5
2 5/10
3 7/14
4 10/19
5 12/24
6 14/29
7 17/8 19/9 22/10 24/11 26/12 29/-

7
7
8
8

TMF: 120
NPV: 390

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
First encountered: 2189.
One of the smaller of the so-called "Leader
Ships" (the Sa'Vasku term for its capital ship
classes) the Ann'Var'Teth is a main battleline
unit that can deal out a huge amount of
firepower thanks to its extensive generator
capacity, and it is well protected by a screen
system and a reasonably strong carapace.

Human Class
Battleship
Equivalent:
Displacement: 12000 tonnes
(MASS factor 120)
Hull Biomass: 30
Carapace
9
Integrity:
30
Power Gen:

4 x Stinger nodes,
2 x Pod Launcher nodes
1 x Screen node,
Defences:
4 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node

Armament:

SLA'THA'ROSH CLASS
LEADER SHIP
(UN codename SPECTRE)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battledreadnought/
Heavy Battleship

Sla'Tha'Rosh class LEADER SHIP

TMF: 160
NPV: 527

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

8
8
8
8

First encountered: 2190.

The Sla'Tha'Rosh is a powerful battle construct,
and the smallest regular warship (ie: nonBroodship) type to carry a drone womb in
addition to its other offensive and defensive
systems. Its hull biomass level is particularly high
to allow sufficient spare biomass to generate the
necessary drone groups.

31

Human Class Equivalent:

Battledreadnought/Heavy Battleship
Displacement: 16000 tonnes
(MASS factor 160)
Hull Biomass: 40
Carapace
Integrity:
12
Power Gen:
32
Armament:
6 x Stinger nodes,
2 x Pod Launcher nodes
Defences:
2 x Screen nodes,
4 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node
Drone
Capability:
1 x Drone Womb

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

Vas'Sa'Rosh class ELDER LEADER SHIP

T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 220
NPV: 724

11

11

P
4/9
9/18
13/26
18/35
22/26/31/35/40/-

10
10
10
10

VAS'SA'ROSH CLASS ELDER LEADER SHIP (UN codename SANDCRAB)

HUMAN CLASS EQUIVALENT: Superdreadnought

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Superdreadnought
Equivalent:
Displacement: 22000 tonnes
(MASS factor 220)
Hull Biomass: 60
Carapace
16
Integrity:
40
Power Gen:

First encountered: 2188.

The Vas'Sa'Rosh is a massive construct that fulfils the role of dreadnought and fleet
flagship within the Sa'Vasku space combat forces. Its huge power generation ability
allows it to produce a focussed energy beam of phenomenal range, or to unleash a
horrific amount of lower-level firepower at closer targets, and its thick carapace and
screen nodes will shrug off a large amount of incoming fire. On the very rare
occasions that an actual Sa'Vasku leaves one of the homeworlds, a Vas'Sa'Rosh is
usually its means of transport.

Vas'Sa'Teth class ELDER BROODSHIP

8 x Stinger nodes,
3 x Pod Launcher nodes
2 x Screen nodes,
Defences:
6 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
4 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node
Drone
1 x Drone Womb
Capability:
Armament:

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

12

T
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

12

P
5/10
10/19
14/29
19/38
24/29/34/38/43/-

11
11
11
11

VAS'SA'TETH CLASS ELDER BROODSHIP

(UN codename SIDEWINDER)
HUMAN CLASS EQUIVALENT: Heavy Fighter Carrier

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:

First encountered: 2190.

The huge Vas'Sa'Teth is a variant of the Vas'Sa'Rosh dreadnought, but optimised as
a drone producer and mothership (known to the Sa'Vasku as a Broodship). Four
separate drone wombs allow the Vas'Sa'Teth to create and hold up to four drone
groups ready for launch at one time, and it has enough biomass to produce two or
even three full waves of four groups. The Broodship is well armed and defended,
though it is usually accompanied by a flotilla of escorting ships to protect it
during the times that it spends most of its energy on drone creation.

Heavy Fighter
Carrier
Displacement: 24000 tonnes
(MASS factor 240)
Hull Biomass: 80
Carapace
Integrity:
12
Power Gen:
44

32

Armament:

TMF: 240
NPV: 779

4 x Stinger nodes,
1 x Pod Launcher node
Defences:
2 x Screen nodes,
6 x PD Spicules
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 x Cortex nodes
Drive Systems: Main Drive node,
FTL (jump) node
Drone
Capability:
4 x Drone Wombs

SA'VASKU SHIP RECORD CHART

ID:

Name:

ID:
T

Name:

ID:

Turn Move Orders

Name:

ID:

POWER ALLOCATION
M
A
D
R

POWER ALLOCATION
M
A
D
R

Turn Move Orders

Turn Move Orders

POWER ALLOCATION
M
A
D
R

Turn Move Orders

10

10

10

10

Name:

ID:
T

Turn Move Orders

POWER ALLOCATION
M
A
D
R

Notes:

POWER ALLOCATION
M
A
D
R

Name:

ID:

Name:

Turn Move Orders

10

10

POWER ALLOCATION
M
A
D
R

2000 GZG. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use

XENO FILE 3: THE PHALONS

GAME NOTES FOR PHALON PLAYERS
Phalon fleets are in some ways more like human forces than the other alien races in
this book. Though their ship technology is constructed in very different ways, their
drive systems are equivalent to those of human ships, and many of their weapons use
similar principles. The design of the Phalon pulser weapons means that some ships will
be optimised for close, medium or long range combat, and they must be deployed
accordingly to get the maximum benefit - a ship configured with Pulser-C batteries will
be devastating at short ranges, but completely useless if the enemy insists on keeping
the range open.
The deployment of Vapour Shrouds needs careful judgement, since they are very
effective protection but severely inhibit the ship's own offensive capabilities while they
are in use.
Players should be aware that Phalon ships are individually quite powerful - many are in
fact equivalent to a human warship of one class larger; for example, the Keraph-class
"battlecruiser-sized" warrior is quite closely matched to most human battleships. The
human class equivalents listed only refer to the overall mass of the ship, not its actual
combat potential. The POINTS VALUES (NPV) of the Phalon ships will give a more
accurate comparison of their combat power than their mass - the ships are "expensive"
in points terms, so 1000 points of Phalon ships will be fairly balanced with 1000 points
of human ships (or any other race).

PHALON SHIP DESIGN AND SYSTEMS

DRIVE SYSTEMS AND MOVEMENT
Phalon drives (both Main Drives and FTL Drives) are treated exactly as per standard FT
rules (ie: exactly as for human ship drives). The MASS requirement for main drives is
5% of ship mass per thrust factor, with a cost of 2 points per MASS used, and FTL
drives take up 10% of ship MASS, again with a cost of 2 points per MASS. Oddnumbered thrust factors are allowed.
Phalon ships may be played using either vector or cinematic movement, according to
which system the players have decide to use in a given game.
HULL INTEGRITY AND "SHELL" ARMOUR
Phalon hull integrity (the inner structure of the ship) takes 1 MASS per hull box, and
costs 2 points per MASS. The hull boxes are arranged in four rows using the standard
rules, with the upper rows being the longer ones if the hull integrity does not divide
exactly by four.

the second (middle) layer. If the hit was from a pulse torpedo instead, which rolled a
5 for damage, the 5 DP would be split between as 3 DP to the outer and 2 DP to the
middle layer.
If the same ship was hit by a small K-gun round that did 2 DP, it would suffer 1 DP to
the outer layer and one to the second layer; if the K-gun was a larger round that did 6
DP, it would inflict 1 DP to the outer (third) layer, 1 to the middle (second) layer, 1 to
the inner (first) layer and its final 3 DP to the hull itself.
PULSER BATTERIES
The Phalons' primary anti-ship weapon is the Pulser, which is an energy weapon very
like the standard human beam systems. There is only one "class" of pulser, and it may
have one, three or six arcs of fire - the MASS requirement is 2, 3 or 4 MASS respectively
according to the number of fire arcs chosen, and the cost is 5 points per MASS used.
The differences between pulsers and standard beams are as follows:
i) The pulser delivers a set amount of power (ie: die rolls) over its full effective range
(unlike beams, whose number of dice rolled degrades with increasing range), and:
ii) Each pulser system may be "configured" before each battle as a LONG range weapon
(pulser-L), MEDIUM range (pulser-M) or CLOSE range (pulser-C).
The different configurations roll different numbers of dice per shot, as below:
LONG range mode (pulser-L):
range 0-36mu
MEDIUM range mode (pulser-M): range 0-24mu
CLOSE range mode (pulser-C):
range 0-12mu

1 die per shot

2 dice per shot
6 dice per shot

Any mix of pulser configurations may be chosen by the Phalon player for each of his
ships before the game, and the relevant letters (L, M or C) written into the blank pulser
icons on the ship SSD. Under no circumstances may the configuration be altered
DURING a game.
[For an added twist, if Phalon ships are attacked unexpectedly (eg: an ambush
scenario) and do not have time to adjust the tuning of their pulsers to suit the coming
battle, players may agree to choose the settings at random - roll a D6 for each pulser
battery: on 1 or 2, it is currently configured as a pulser-L, on 3 or 4 as a pulser-M, and
on 5 or 6 a pulser-C.]
Pulser fire dice are read as for standard beam weapon fire, ie: 1-3 = no effect, 4-5 = 1
Damage Point, 6 = 2DP plus a reroll.
Screens ARE effective against pulser fire as per standard rules, as are the Phalons' own
vapour shrouds (see below).

One hull box is lost to each point of damage that penetrates the shell and other
defences.

Pulser fire is non-penetrating (ie: damage is taken on armour first) with the exception
of damage inflicted by rerolls.

Typically, the hull integrity of a Phalon ship is quite low - around 20% of the ship mass
- but it is protected by the shell armour.

All Pulsers, regardless of current configuration, can function as PDS instead of anti-ship
fire in any given turn, using the normal PDS rules, ranges and effects - see point
defence rules below.

The protective "shells" of Phalon ships follow the same rules as human armour, with
the exception of the way the boxes are laid out; any amount may be used, at 1 MASS
(and 2 points cost) per shell box, and one damage point destroys one shell box.

POINT-DEFENCE AND AREA-DEFENCE

Phalon shells, unlike standard armour, may be multi-layered - the shell boxes may be
stacked in anything up to four layers (and theoretically even more if required). The first
layer is the inner layer, the one nearest the hull (ie: the "bottom" layer on the ship
diagram), the second layer the one above it, and so on. The topmost layer on the
diagram is always referred to as the "outer" layer. Generally, the outer layers will be
weaker (shorter rows) than those beneath them, but this is not a specific requirement.
The points cost of a shell boxes depends on the layer it is in: the cost is 2 x layer
number, so a box in the inner (first) layer costs 2 points, a second layer box 4 points,
third layer 6 points and fourth layer 8 points.
When hit by weapons that do not bypass armour, shell boxes are crossed off the
outermost (top) layer, just like hull boxes (moving onto the next layer down if the top
one is all gone). Weapons that do half armour/half hull damage have their effects
applied half to the outermost layer of shell, and half to the next layer in.
Weapons that do reroll damage apply the effects of each successive reroll to the next
layer in - so if the player is lucky enough to get a double reroll (2 sixes in a row) then
some of the damage may penetrate as many as the three shell layers (or directly to the
hull if it is only a 2-layer shell).
Kra'Vak K-gun hits expend 1 damage point on EACH layer of shell, taking out one box
from each successive layer and doing any remainder to the hull if the damage reaches
that far.
Example:
Take a large Phalon ship which has three layers of shell boxes; if it is hit by a beam
shot that rolls a 6, and then scores a 4 on the reroll, then the original 2 DP are taken
by the outer shell layer (third layer), and the 1 point of reroll damage goes down to

Phalon ships do not have separate point-defence system (PDS); instead, they may elect
to use any of their pulser batteries as PDS during the point-defence phase, firing at any
one fighter group, missile salvo or plasma bolt that is attacking the firing ship. A
pulser used in this mode fires exactly as for a standard PDS shot, with the same die
rolls and effects. Any pulser used in the PDS mode rolls only ONE die, regardless of how
the pulser is currently configured.
Unlike standard point-defence systems, pulsers can have limited arcs of fire - in this
case, a pulser in PDS mode may ONLY engage a target (fighter group, missile salvo,
plasma bolt etc.) that is actually within that pulser's normal fire arc(s). It is thus an
acceptable tactic for fighters engaging a Phalon ship to try to manoeuvre so as to be
out of the pulsers' defensive fire arcs, but this will often entail them making a
secondary move and thus burning up a valuable combat endurance factor.
Phalon ships may carry ADFC (Area-Defence Fire Controls), advanced firecontrol systems
that allow them to use their pulsers' point-defence capability to support any other ship
that is within 6mu of the firing ship; they operate exactly as standard human ADFC
systems*, and have the same mass and cost requirements - 2 MASS and a cost of 8
points per ADFC.
Any pulser that fires in either the point or area defence mode may NOT also fire in antiship mode in the same turn.
As per the standard rules for PDS fire, the Phalons do NOT need a functioning fire
control system in order to fire in the point-defence mode.
[*Note that the ADFC system was introduced in Fleet Book 1 to replace the ADS used in
FT 2nd edition; unlike the original ADS, the ADFC is not a weapon system in its own
right - it is a specialised fire control director that allows the ship's PDS to function in
the area-defence mode.]

35

XENO FILE 3: THE PHALONS

PLASMA BOLT LAUNCHERS
CREW FACTORS AND DAMAGE CONTROL

The Phalon Plasma Bolt Launchers (PBLs) are available in sizes from class-1 upwards,
with class-6 being the largest commonly seen (though larger ones are possible). The
launcher is a 3-arc (180 degree) system, and is normally (but not always) mounted to
fire through the forward arcs of the ship (FP/F/FS).

Phalon ships use the same rules for crew factors and damage-contol parties as human
ships; there is one crew factor for each 20 MASS of ship (or part thereof), so for example
a MASS 30 Phalon ship has a crew factor of 2, and a MASS 41 ship a factor of 3.

A plasma bolt launcher of any size must spend 1 turn recharging between shots, so can
only fire every OTHER game turn - whenever a ship fires a PBL, a note or mark should
be made in the order-writing box for the next turn to indicate that the launcher is
recharging and cannot be fired.

There is no cost or mass requirement for crew factors.

The crew factors are indicated by small stars placed in some of the hull boxes on the
SSD - the placement of the crew factors being determined by dividing the mass used for
hull integrity by the total crew factor (and rounding UP in all cases): for example, a
ship with a crew factor of 4 and a hull integrity of 17 would have a crew factor star
placed in every FIFTH box on the damage track (17/4 = 4.25, rounded up to 5), and the
last star in the last box - so the crew factors would be in the fifth, tenth, fifteenth and
seventeenth (final) boxes.

A plasma bolt launcher fires a bolt of a size equal to the launcher class, to a maximum
range of 30mu; a suitable marker, numbered with the bolt size, is placed during the
ordnance fire phase of the turn; it may be placed anywhere within the appropriate 180
degree fire arc.
During the point defence phase, any ship within 6mu of a plasma bolt marker may fire
at the bolt with its PDS. Note that this does NOT require the use of an ADFC system, as
all ships within 6mu of the bolt are considered to be "under attack" by the bolt.

When a hull box containing a crew star is lost to damage, that crew factor is lost due
to accumulated crew casualties.
Crew factors represent the number of damage control parties (DCPs) available to the
ship - one DCP for every remaining crew factor on the ship. DCPs may attempt to repair
systems lost to threshold damage, with up to three DCPs being allocated to each
attempted system repair - the basic roll of success in the repair attempt is 6 if one DCP
is working on it, -1 for each additional DCP allocated to the task (so the allowed
maximum of 3 DCPs will make a successful repair on a roll of 4+). Any one system may
only be the subject of one attempted repair roll in any given turn.

Roll a D6 per PDS firing - each roll of 6 reduces the effective strength (class) of the
bolt by 1, so one roll of 6 will eliminate a size 1 plasma bolt altogether, or reduce a
size 4 bolt to a size 3, etc. These PDS hit effects are cumulative, so 3 hits on a size 4
bolt will reduce it to a size 1. The bolt marker should be exchanged for one of an
appropriate number for the reduced bolt strength.
Phalon pulsers fired in PDS mode roll as for normal point defence systems against
plasma bolts.

HANGAR BAYS

Class 1 beams and class 1 K-guns may NOT be used in their secondary PDS role against
plasma bolts, but Kra'Vak scatterguns may, and are even more effective than standard
PDS: they roll like a "beam" die, removing 1 strength from a bolt on a 4 or 5 result, and
2 strength classes on a 6 (NO reroll). Sa'Vasku interceptor pods may also engage plasma
bolts, with the same roll as a Kra'Vak scattergun.

Phalon ships may carry hangar bays and fighter groups (or other embarked small craft)
in exactly the same way as human ships, using all the standard rules. Refer to the
Fighter Rules section for more details on the different Phalon fighter types available.
Each Fighter Bay uses 9 MASS and costs 18 points; bays for other small craft use 1.5 x
the MASS of craft carried, and cost 3 points per MASS used.

Fighter groups may target PBs if they are within 6mu; roll for each fighter as if it was a
PDS (ie: each roll of 6 counts as a hit).

Note that in general only the Phalon "Motherships" carry fighter bays, though this is
for doctrinal rather than technical reasons.

Ships with ADFC capability may add their PDS fire in support of any ships within 6 mu
of them that are within the effect radius of a plasma bolt, even if the ADFC-equipped
ship is itself outside the danger area.

FIGHTERS
The Phalons use fighters in much the same way as human fleets, with each fighter
being piloted by one to three Phalon crew. Several different types of Phalon fighters
have been observed, the most common being the Nith class multirole (UN codename
PEG), the Tuus class heavy fighter (UN codename PUD) and the Vaan class interceptor
(UN codename PAM).

After the PDS fire is completed, any remaining plasma bolts on the board explode; their
burst radius is 6mu* (irrespective of their size) and they inflict a number of full dice of
damage (ie: damage points = number rolled) equal to their size, on ALL ships within
that radius (roll individually for each ship that may suffer damage).

Phalon fighter groups follow all the normal fighter rules, and have the usual points
costs for their specialised types; the basic multirole type has a movement allowance of
24mu (plus 12mu secondary move) and a standard 1-die attack, and Heavy and
Interceptor specialised variants all follow the relevant rules. If you are using the
Fighter Morale rules, they apply to Phalons exactly as to human forces.

Example:
A class-5 plasma bolt is disrupted and weakened by two successful PDS hits, so when it
explodes it will have an effective strength of a class-3 bolt. The bolt detonates, catching
two ships in its burst radius. 3 D6 are rolled for each ship - the first rolls 2,3 and 6 and
takes a total of 11 Damage Points, the second rolls 1,3 and 5 and takes 9 DP.

Plasma bolt damage is non-penetrating, and takes all damage off armour
/shell/carapace (if any) before damaging hull. There are NO rerolls for plasma bolt
damage.

Screens (human or S'V) and the Phalons' own Vapour Shrouds are effective against PB
damage - Level-1 Screens negate any rolls of 6, level-2 screens and Vapour Shrouds
negate all rolls of 5 or 6. Thus, in the example given above, if the first ship had a
level-1 screen up it would have only taken 5 DP (ignoring the 6 rolled), and if the
second ship had a level-2 screen (or a vapour shroud) it would only take 4 DP (the 5
roll would be negated, as would any 6s that were rolled).

A Plasma Bolt Launcher system takes up a MASS of 5 times the class of the launcher.
The points cost is 3 points per MASS.

VAPOUR SHROUDS

[* If using the vector movement rules from Fleet Book 1, you may wish to reduce the
burst radius of plasma bolts to 4 (or even 3) mu to compensate for the more accurate
prediction of target movement that occurs when using the vector system; a similar rule
was suggested in FB1 with regard to the attack radius of salvo missiles, for the same
reason. If you decide on this, ensure all your players know before the game which
version you will be using - 6mu should be considered the default value unless agreed
otherwise!]
FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS
Phalon ships carry fire-control systems that function exactly as their human
equivalents; use all standard rules for them. A Phalon FC system requires 1 MASS and
costs 4 points.
Note that an operational fire-control system is required in order for a Phalon ship to
launch a plasma bolt, but the same fire-control may also be used for anti-ship pulser
fire in the main fire phase.

The Phalons have the ability to puff out a shroud of vapour droplets and ice crystals
around their ships, which shields them from incoming fire but also blocks outgoing fire
as well.
Deploying the shroud must be noted in movement orders, and affects the ship for the
entire turn. A shrouded ship may move as normal, but may not fire any weapons at all,
including point-defence fire.
A deployed shroud acts like a level-2 screen against all energy weapon attacks,
including Phalon pulsers and plasma bolt damage, human beams etc. Weapons normally
unaffected by screens (K-guns, Pulse Torps, SMs etc) are unaffected by vapour shrouds.
Fighters may attack a shrouded ship, but suffer the same penalty as other weapons fire
- it is the same as attacking a screen-2 target, UNLESS they are using non-beam
weapons (ie: Kra'Vak fighters, and other races' Torpedo fighters or equivalents). Phalon
Motherships may not launch or recover fighters while their shroud is deployed.
System mass: 5% of total ship mass, minimum 1 MASS. Cost = MASS x 3.

36

XENO FILE 3: THE PHALONS

PHALON SHIP DESIGN PROCEDURE
1) SELECT OVERALL SHIP MASS.
2) SELECT HULL INTEGRITY VALUE and create Damage Track.
3) ADD ARMOUR SHELL.
4) SELECT MAIN DRIVE THRUST FACTOR.
5) INSTALL FTL DRIVE (if required).
6) TOTAL MASS USED SO FAR.
7) INSTALL CHOSEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS.

7) INSTALL CHOSEN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS

Choose the desired mix of weapon installations and other systems to suit the ship's
intended mission profile, ensuring that the total MASS required for all the systems
does not exceed the available MASS left from step 6.
EXAMPLE: We choose a good suite of pulser batteries for our Warrior, with 2 single-arc
pulsers firing in the Fore arc only, a single 3-arc (FP/F/FS) and a final pair of all-arc
batteries. The configuration of the pulsers into C, M or L types will be chosen prior to
each battle, but the most likely configuration that we have in mind when designing the
ship will be for the single-arc systems to be used as a pulser-L long-range sniping
weapons, the 3-arc one as a pulser-M for medium range firepower and the two all-arc
batteries as pulser-Cs which will also serve in the point-defence role (ANY pulser battery
may fire in PDS mode, but the all-arc ones will be the most versatile for this).

8) TOTAL POINTS VALUES to calculate NPV of ship.

A Plasma Bolt Launcher of class-3 is fitted in the ship's bows, and the whole weapon
suite is directed by three fire control systems.

The standard Phalon Vapour Shroud gland is fitted for passive defence when needed.
1) SELECT OVERALL SHIP MASS

2 x Pulser (1 arc) @ 2 MASS

1 x Pulser (3 arc) @ 3 MASS
2 x Pulser (6 arc) @ 4 MASS
1 x Plasma Bolt Launcher (class 3)
3 x Fire Controls @ 1 MASS
1 x Vapour Shroud gland
@ 5% of overall ship MASS

This may be any size desired, though most combat starships fall within 10-200 MASS.
EXAMPLE: We choose to build a Phalon Warrior (cruiser) type ship with a total MASS
factor of 100 which is towards the high end of the Warrior category. This gives us a
basic hull that will take up to 100 MASS of drives, shell and other systems.
2) SELECT HULL INTEGRITY LEVEL
Any amount of the available MASS may be used for HULL INTEGRITY, which
represents the overall structural strength of the ship's hull and its ability to
absorb damage. The only restriction is that the MINIMUM amount of hull integrity
is 10% of the ship's total MASS.
The actual MASS of the Hull Integrity chosen is equal to the number of DAMAGE
BOXES the ship has, which are then organised into four rows (in accordance with
the Damage Track rules).
Crew factors should be worked out and indicated on the damage track at this
point (mainly for Damage Control purposes), in exactly the same way as for
human ship designs.
EXAMPLE: Phalon ships generally use fairly weak internal hull structures protected
by their special "shell" armour; we choose to allocate 20 MASS to Hull Integrity, so
the ship has 20 Damage Boxes (which will be arranged on the Damage Track as
four rows of 5). The points cost for the hull integrity will be 2 x MASS used,
ie: 40 points.

=
=
=
=
=

4 MASS
3 MASS
8 MASS
15 MASS
3 MASS

= MASS 5

Total MASS used for systems = 38

8) TOTAL POINTS VALUES
EXAMPLE: The points costing of our example ship is:
BASIC HULL (MASS 100)
HULL INTEGRITY (MASS 20)
SHELL (MASS 12)
MAIN DRIVE (MASS 20)
FTL DRIVE (MASS 10)
2 x Pulser (1 arc) (MASS 4)
1 x Pulser (3 arc) (MASS 3)
2 x Pulser (6 arc) (MASS 8)
1 x PBL (class 3) (MASS15 )
3 x Fire Controls (MASS 3)
1 x Vapour Shroud (MASS 5)

MASS x 1
MASS x 2
(8x2) + (4x4)
MASS x 2
MASS x 2
MASS x 5
MASS x 5
MASS x 5
MASS x 3
MASS x 4
MASS x 3

Total cost (NPV - Nominal Points Value)

100 points
40 points
32 points
40 points
20 points
20 points
15 points
40 points
45 points
12 points
15 points

379 points

3) ADD ARMOUR SHELL

Phalon armour works in a different manner to that of other races, in that the
"shell" of armour may be multi-layered; each SHELL box takes up 1 MASS, but its
COST in points increases as more layers are added.
EXAMPLE: We decide that our Phalon Warrior ship will allocate 12 MASS to its shell,
giving us 12 boxes which may be arranged in any chosen pattern - we decide to
have an inner (first) layer of 8 boxes (for a cost of 2 points per box, = 16 points)
and an outer (second) layer of 4 boxes (at 4 points per box, = 16 points).
4) SELECT MAIN DRIVE THRUST FACTOR

PHALON SYSTEMS STATUS DISPLAY (SSD)

The diagram below is an example of how to read the Phalon SSDs on the ship data
panels. Please note that this is NOT an actual ship design, just a key to the symbols
and icons used!

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Plasma bolt launcher

(class 4)

Pulser
(6 arc fire)

All ships require a Main Drive; the MD takes up 5% of the ship's overall MASS for
every Thrust Factor of drive power.

EXAMPLE: We decide to give our ship a Thrust Factor of 4, so this takes 4 x 5 =

20% of the overall MASS; 100 x 20% = 20, so the ship's Main Drive takes up 20
MASS. The Main Drive will cost 20 x 2 = 40 points.

Pulser
(3 arc fire)

5) INSTALL FTL DRIVE (if required)

Hangar bay

If an FTL drive is to be part of the design, it is fitted at this stage and uses up
10% of the overall ship MASS.

Shell layer 3

EXAMPLE: Our Warrior ship needs an FTL drive; it will take up 100 x 10% = 10
MASS. The FTL drive will cost 10 x 2 = 20 points.

Shell layer 1

6) TOTAL MASS USED SO FAR

Crew Factor Marker

Add up the total MASS used by the Hull Integrity, Shell, Main Drive and FTL Drive
systems, and subtract this from the overall ship MASS to find the amount left for
fitting-out with offensive, defensive and other systems.

FTL Drive

4
Vapour shroud gland

Fire Control Systems (2)

Area Defence Firecon

Shell layer 2

Damage Track
Command Bridge Icon
Life Support Icon

Main Drive (Thrust 4)

Power Core Icon

Core Systems Box

EXAMPLE: Our design has used 20 MASS for Hull Integrity, 12 for Shell, 20 for Main
Drive and 10 for FTL Drive. This totals 62 MASS from the overall 100, so we are left
with 38 MASS for fitting-out.

See page 45 for Phalon weapons and defences summary box

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PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Phyaa class PROTECTOR

TMF: 10
NPV: 39

PHYAA CLASS PROTECTOR

(UN codename PIKE)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Recon Scout

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Recon Scout
Equivalent:
Displacement: 1000 tonnes
(MASS factor 10)
Hull Integrity: 1
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 1
10 [Crew Factor: 1]
Crew:
1 x Pulser battery
Armament:
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2191.

The tiny Phyaa recon scout is never meant to enter close combat; as its designation implies, it is primarily a reconnaissance
and intelligence gathering ship. Its single one-arc pulser battery is almost always configured in L mode, to give it the
ability to snipe from long range where the enemy cannot effectively respond. If caught at closer ranges, the Phyaa will try
to withdraw under the protection of its vapour shroud.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Vlath class PROTECTOR

VLATH CLASS PROTECTOR

(UN codename POGO)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battle Scout

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

TMF: 12
NPV: 51

First encountered: 2192.

Classed as a "Battle Scout", the little Vlath is a fragile ship with a big punch - its single all-arc pulser is most often
encountered in C mode for maximum fire output at short range, and squadrons of Vlaths have been known to "swarm" a
larger enemy ship and pound it rapidly to death from all sides before it can kill all the tiny attackers.

38

Human Class
Equivalent:
Battle Scout
Displacement: 1200 tonnes
(MASS factor 12)
Hull Integrity: 2
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 1
Crew:
12 [Crew Factor: 1]
Armament:
1 x Pulser battery
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Dorrth class PROTECTOR

TMF: 16
NPV: 60

DORRTH CLASS PROTECTOR

(UN codename PHONY)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Corvette

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Corvette
Equivalent:
Displacement: 1600 tonnes
(MASS factor 16)
Hull Integrity: 2
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 2
16 [Crew Factor: 1]
Crew:
1 x Pulser battery
Armament:
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2191.

The Dorrth class fills the "corvette" role in Phalon naval forces, being a small Protector ship designed to escort convoys and
act as outriders to combat task groups. The single limited-arc pulser battery is most often configured as either a long-range
sniping weapon or a close-range shipkiller, depending on the role that the ship is assigned to at that time.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Tyaph class PROTECTOR

TMF: 21
NPV: 84

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Frigate
Displacement: 2100 tonnes
(MASS factor 21)
Hull Integrity: 3
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 2
Crew:
21 [Crew Factor: 2]
Armament:
2 x Pulser batteries
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6,
FTL (jump) drive

TYAPH CLASS PROTECTOR

(UN codename PINKY)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Frigate

First encountered: 2192.

The Tyaph class is slightly smaller than its Phuun class sister ship, and lacks the latter's plasma bolt system, but makes up
for this with twin pulser batteries. As a close escort for major fleet units, the Tyaph is most often encountered with both
pulsers tuned for C mode to give a very large fire output against any enemy ships that venture too close to the Phalon fleet.

39

PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Phuun class PROTECTOR

TMF: 24
NPV: 89

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Frigate
Equivalent:
Displacement: 2400 tonnes
(MASS factor 24)
Hull Integrity: 3
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 2
24 [Crew Factor: 2]
Crew:
1 x Pulser battery,
Armament:
1 x Class-1
Plasma Bolt launcher
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6,
FTL (jump) drive

PHUUN CLASS PROTECTOR

(UN codename PERKY)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Frigate

First encountered: 2192.

The Phuun is the smallest Phalon ship class in regular use to mount a plasma bolt launcher system, and the mass of this
weapon leaves little room for other armament; a single pulser battery bears only through the three frontal arcs of the ship,
leaving the Phuun very vulnerable to attacks from its aft arcs. Phuun class ships have been encountered with all
configurations of their pulser battery, but the most commonly it is tuned to M mode.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Dinth class PROTECTOR

TMF: 41
NPV: 150

DINTH CLASS PROTECTOR

(UN codename PISTOL)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Destroyer

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Heavy Destroyer
Displacement: 4100 tonnes
(MASS factor 41)
Hull Integrity: 7
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 4
Crew:
41 [Crew Factor: 3]
Armament:
2 x Pulser batteries,
1 x Class-1 Plasma Bolt
launcher
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
1 Fire control system
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 6,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2192.

The largest of the Protector group of escort classes, the Dinth is equivalent to a heavy destroyer in human naval terms. It is
most commonly found accompanying major task forces as a heavy fleet escort, but has also been encountered as a solo
commerce raider. The Dinth has a high thrust rating and is protected by a single layer shell of reasonable strength. The most
common configuration for its pulser suite is the single-arc battery in M mode, and the all-arc in C mode.

40

PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

Tsaara class WARRIOR

TMF: 58
NPV: 225

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Light Cruiser
Equivalent:
Displacement: 5800 tonnes
(MASS factor 58)
Hull Integrity: 10
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 3, Layer 2: 2
58 [Crew Factor: 3]
Crew:
3 x Pulser batteries,
Armament:
1 x Class-2 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

TSAARA CLASS WARRIOR

(UN codename PINBACK)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Light Cruiser

First encountered: 2191.

The Tsaara CL was the first Phalon ship to be encountered by human forces, in mid 2191. The Tsaara class ship "Tojhaa" was
attacked by a small FSE task group while engaged in reconnaissance near the outpost station at Rhone III. The Tojhaa
began to withdraw under the cover of its vapour shroud after a hectic exchange of fire with the FSE group, but was caught
by a final missile barrage from a Trieste DDH and destroyed with no survivors. Only upon examination of the debris did the
FSE forces realise that this was a new, third race of alien beings hitherto unknown to humanity.

TMF: 70
NPV: 276

Huulth class WARRIOR

HUULTH CLASS WARRIOR
(UN codename PACKER)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Medium Cruiser

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Medium Cruiser
Displacement: 7000 tonnes
(MASS factor 70)
Hull Integrity: 12
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 4, Layer 2: 3
Crew:
70 [Crew Factor: 4]
Armament:
4 x Pulser batteries,
1 x Class-2 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2191.

The Huulth is a good all-round warrior (cruiser) design, found in most Phalon battlefleets and independant squadrons.
There is a specialised anti-fighter escort version of the Huulth that loses the Plasma Bolt launcher and replaces it with two
additional all-arc pulser batteries plus an ADFC (Area Defence Fire Control) system; its mass is the same as the standard
Huulth, but its NPV rises to 294. This variant is known to the Phalons as a Klashh-Huulth, and to humans as the PACKER-E.

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PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Tuuloth class WARRIOR
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Heavy Cruiser
Equivalent:
Displacement: 8000 tonnes
(MASS factor 80)
Hull Integrity: 16
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 6, Layer 2: 3
80 [Crew Factor: 4]
Crew:
3 x Pulser batteries,
Armament:
1 x Class-3 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2192.

The Tuuloth is the standard Phalon heavy cruiser design, and is a
reasonable all-round compromise of mobility, defence and offensive
weaponry. A two-layer shell gives good protection to its relatively
weak inner hull, and a class-3 plasma bolt system gives the Tuuloth
a significant punch at long range. The pulser fit is not huge, but is
adequate, and is normally found configured with the two 3-arc
mounts in L or M mode and the single all-arc battery in C mode. The
Tuuloth is often used as heavy support to small raiding parties of
Protector class ship.

TMF: 104
NPV: 398

KERAPH CLASS WARRIOR

(UN codename PAGAN)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battlecruiser

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TMF: 80
NPV: 299

Keraph class WARRIOR

TUULOTH CLASS WARRIOR

(UN codename PAVANE)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Cruiser

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Battlecruiser
Displacement: 10400 tonnes
(MASS factor 104)
Hull Integrity: 20
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 8, Layer 2: 4
Crew:
104 [Crew Factor: 6]
Armament:
5 x Pulser batteries,
1 x Class-3 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems,
1 ADFC
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2192.

The Keraph is the only Phalon warship class to mount an ADFC (Area-Defence Fire Control) system as a standard fitment;
other classes do carry ADFCs, but only as special variants, while all Keraph class ships encountered have been so equipped.
As such, the Keraph is most commonly found as a dedicated anti-fighter ship to protect larger fleet units, though it is also
used as part of some independant warrior (cruiser) squadrons.

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PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

First encountered: 2192.

The Ptath is the smallest of the "Great Warrior" group of capital ship
classes, and equates to a Battleship in human naval terms. It is also the
smallest common Phalon ship to carry a 3-layer shell, and with a good
thrust level and an extensive pulser fit (normally configured to give a mix
of long and short range fire, but Ptaths have been encountered with all
their pulsers tuned for one extreme or the other) it is an effective allround combat ship that often forms the core of small task forces.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Battleship
Equivalent:
Displacement: 13200 tonnes
(MASS factor 132)
Hull Integrity: 24
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 8, Layer 2: 4,
Layer 3: 4
132 [Crew Factor: 7]
Crew:
7 x Pulser batteries,
Armament:
1 x Class-4 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

TMF: 132
NPV: 522

PTATH CLASS
GREAT WARRIOR
(UN codename PLONKER)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battleship

Ptath class GREAT WARRIOR

TMF: 170
NPV: 658

Saath class GREAT WARRIOR

SAATH CLASS
GREAT WARRIOR
(UN codename PAYCHECK)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Battledreadnought

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Battledreadnought
Displacement: 17000 tonnes
(MASS factor 170)
Hull Integrity: 30
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 9, Layer 2: 5,
Layer 3: 4
Crew:
170 [Crew Factor: 9]
Armament:
7 x Pulser batteries,
1 x Class-5 Plasma
Bolt launcher,
1 x Class-2 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
3 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive

First encountered: 2193.

The Saath differs from its smaller counterparts in that it mounts two Plasma Bolt launchers - a large class-5 in the usual
spinal mount, plus a smaller class-2 in a dorsal weapons pod. Because of the amount of mass used by these systems, its
pulser fit is no more extensive than that of the much smaller Ptath BB, but is still enough to make the Saath a very capable
ship, good for both independant and fleet operations.

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PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

Voth class GREAT WARRIOR

TMF: 250
NPV: 1041

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Superdreadnought
Equivalent:
Displacement: 25000 tonnes
(MASS factor 250)
Hull Integrity: 42
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 16, Layer 2: 10,
Layer 3: 8, Layer 4: 6
250 [Crew Factor: 13]
Crew:
11 x Pulser batteries,
Armament:
1 x Class-6 Plasma
Bolt launcher,
2 x Class-3 Plasma
Bolt launchers
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
5 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 2,
FTL (jump) drive

VOTH CLASS GREAT WARRIOR

(UN codename PACHYDERM)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT: Superdreadnought

First encountered: 2192.

The Voth class (along with their fighter-mothership counterparts, the Draath class) are the largest Phalon warships in common use. Protected by a massive four-layered shell, a Voth can
withstand multiple hits from the most powerful of weapons before it takes damage to its soft inner hull. An array of no less than three plasma bolt launchers (a huge spinal class-6 and two
smaller class-3s mounted in dorsal weapons pods) and an array of eleven pulser batteries allow the Voth to put out a phenomenal amount of firepower; normally the pulser systems are
configured as a mix of C, M and L versions to give optimum coverage at all combat ranges, but Voths have been encountered with almost all their pulsers tuned for close-range combat only in this mode they can launch a volley that can shred a dreadnought in one pass.
Several variants of the Voth have been noted, including one (PACHYDERM-E) that carries two ADFC systems in place of one of its all-arc pulser batteries.

TMF: 170
NPV: 641
TAANIS CLASS
MOTHERSHIP
(UN codename PANDORA)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Light Carrier

First encountered: 2193.

The Taanis is based on the same main structure as the Saath battledreadnought,
with a fighter hangar/launch pod replacing the dorsal weapons pod of the Saath. It
is the smallest Phalon carrier in regular service, and is usually found as a fighter
support ship in small and medium sized task force groups. The Taanis retains the
standard plasma bolt and pulser armament mix of almost all Phalon ships, but this is
significantly downrated from the fit carried by the Saath in order to allow for the
mass of the fighter bays.

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Equivalent:
Light Carrier
Displacement: 17000 tonnes
(MASS factor 170)
Hull Integrity: 30
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 8, Layer 2: 4,
Layer 3: 4
Crew:
170 [Crew Factor: 9]
+ fighter crews
Armament:
5 x Pulser batteries,
1 x Class-2 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Defences:
Vapour shroud gland
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 4,
FTL (jump) drive
Hangar bays: 4 bays each holding
6 fighters. (fighter cost
not included)

Taanis class MOTHERSHIP

44

PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

TMF: 250
NPV: 1002

Systems Status
Status Display
Display
Systems

First encountered: 2193.

The Draath is the largest Phalon mothership (carrier) so far encountered; its
complement of eight full fighter groups is massive, greater than even the huge FSE
Jeanne D'Arc class which outmasses the Draath by some 3000 tonnes. On top of this
large fighter force the Draath also mounts an extensive pulser array (normally
configured into a mix of M and C modes) and still has room for a class-3 plasma bolt
system, making it a versatile combat ship. Its low thrust level is somewhat
mitigated by its very powerful 4-layer defensive shell.

DRAATH CLASS
MOTHERSHIP
(UN codename PARADOX)
HUMAN CLASS
EQUIVALENT:
Heavy Carrier

3
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Human Class
Heavy Carrier
Equivalent:
Displacement: 25000 tonnes
(MASS factor 250)
Hull Integrity: 40
Shell Strength: Layer 1: 12, Layer 2: 8,
Layer 3: 6, Layer 4: 4
250 [Crew Factor: 13]
Crew:
+ fighter crews
8 x Pulser batteries,
Armament:
1 x Class-3 Plasma
Bolt launcher
Vapour shroud gland
Defences:
Sensor Suite: Standard sensors,
2 Fire control systems
Drive Systems: Main Drive Rating 2,
FTL (jump) drive
Hangar bays: 8 bays each holding
6 fighters. (fighter cost
not included)

Draath class MOTHERSHIP

PHALON WEAPONS AND DEFENCES SUMMARY

ADFC (AREA-DEFENCE FIRE CONTROL)

Allows ship to use its pulsers in area-defence mode to protect any other ships
within 6 mu. An ADFC is only an enhanced point-defence fire director - it is not
a weapon in its own right and cannot function as a regular fire control.

PULSER BATTERIES
Each pulser must be configured before the game to L, M or C mode.
LONG range mode (pulser-L):

range 0-36mu

ICON:

1 die per shot

Pulser fire dice are read as 1-3 = no effect, 4-5 = 1 Damage Point, 6 = 2DP plus
a reroll.

PLASMA BOLT LAUNCHERS

Plasma Bolt Launchers (PBLs) are available in sizes from class-1 to class-6 or
larger. Launcher is a 3-arc (180 degree) system. Target point marker is placed
during ordnance fire phase.
All plasma bolt launchers may only fire once every other turn.
Bolt strength is equal to launcher class; maximum range is 30 mu.
Point-defence fire against plasma bolts reduces strength of bolt - refer to rules
for effects of different types of PD fire.

Level-1 screens negate rolls of 4; level-2 screens and vapour shrouds negate
rolls of 4 or 5.

Burst radius of all plasma bolts is normally 6 mu. Each ship in radius takes 1 D6
damage per strength of bolt.

MEDIUM range mode (pulser-M): range 0-24mu

2 dice per shot

CLOSE range mode (pulser-C):

6 dice per shot

range 0-12mu

Pulser fire is non-penetrating with the exception of damage inflicted by rerolls.

ICONS (examples)

All Pulsers can function as PDS instead of anti-ship fire in any given turn, using
the normal PDS rules, ranges and effects (limited-arc pulsers may only fire at
targets within their valid fire arcs).

Class-5 plasma bolt launcher

ICONS (examples):

Class-2 plasma bolt launcher

One-arc pulser configured in M mode

Three-arc pulser configured in L mode

VAPOUR SHROUDS
Use must be noted in orders for that turn; blocks all outgoing fire, and acts as
a level-2 screen against incoming fire (no effect against weapons that normally
ignore screens).

All-arc pulser configured in C mode

ICON:

45

PHALON SHIP RECORD CHART

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

ID:

Name:

Ship ID

Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Turn 4

Turn 5

Turn 6

Turn 7

Turn 8

Turn 9

Turn 10

2000 GZG. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use

BACKGROUND
TIMELINE CONTINUATION
The main timeline in Full Thrust 2nd Edition brought the "official"
background history up to 2183, just before the first contact with the
Kra'Vak. This continuation shows how things develop from there......
2183: The UNSC Survey Cruisers McCaffrey and Niven are attacked by
unknown forces off Lagos IV on the Pan African Rim; the Niven is
completely destroyed, and the McCaffrey disappears without trace.
Later in the year, The PAU Battlecruiser Kinshasa is engaged and destroyed
by an unidentified hostile in the New Lusaka system.
2184: Unexplained attacks and incidents increase in frequency, affecting
not only PAU space but other nations as well; with the ongoing state of
war between the NAC and ESU, much blame is placed by each power on the
other. Both blocs, however, begin to realise that something far more
important is happening.
Late in 2184, NAC Fleet Intelligence recovers the first identifiable alien
debris following an encounter near Angel II in which a Confederation
squadron managed to destroy two ships from an attacking alien group. For
the first time, Humanity has positive proof that the the attackers are
another sentient life-form.
2185: The first co-operative action between the ESU and NAC against the
Kra'Vak occurs at the Battle of Sulaxar. Although tensions still run high
(especially in diplomatic circles), the militaries of all the major powers plus several smaller nations - are coming inexorably together in the face of
a much greater threat. On 28.07.85, the UN Assembly declares that a state
of war now officially exists between all the nations of Humanity and the
race known as the Kra'Vak; the First InterSentient War (rapidly christened
the Xeno War by the popular media) has truly begun.
2186: Early in the year, the advances towards joint ESU/NAC response to
the Kra'Vak aggression falter when a Eurasian naval unit fails to assist a
Confederation squadron under attack by alien forces off Caleb. Finally
escaping with barely 25% of his force and men, Commodore Farris accuses
the ESU of standing off from the action in order to gain control of the
Caleb system. The diplomatic repercussions gradually settle, but illustrate
the deep distrust that still exists between the major powers.
The Kra'Vak offensive gathers momentum, and very late in the year reports
begin to come in of the first surface assaults by Kra'Vak forces.
2187: The first major success against Kra'Vak ground forces is reported on
the NSL outworld of Rheinhold, where a combined force of NSL and NAC
Marines supporting local Militia units manage to beat off an attempted
planetary landing by the alien invaders. Rheinhold then survives five
months of protracted siege and repeated landing attempts before the
Kra'Vak are driven outsystem by the arrival of a large joint task force of
NAC, NSL, Dutch and Free Cal-Tex ships.
Elsewhere, humanity does not fare so well, and the aliens continue to make
inroads toward the core systems. Virtually no information is released to the
public concerning what is happening on worlds taken by the Kra'Vak, which
causes widespread panic as rumours of massacre and genocide spread. Public
opinion on Earth, Centaurus and Barnard swings in favour of pulling all forces
back from the outworlds to defend the core. Such a defensive concept does not
find favour with the Military, nor (naturally) with the colonial population.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR GROUND ZERO GAMES

For sales in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world (excepting North and South
America and Australasia), please contact GZG at the UK address given below for
ordering and latest release information. Customers from USA, Canada or South
America should contact Geo-Hex (address below) who produce the range under
licence for the American market; customers in Australasia should contact Eureka
Miniatures, who are our licensee for that region.
The FULL THRUST Starship Miniatures line now includes over 160 different fine
cast pewter miniatures and encompasses ships from many different nationalities
and races. The models range in size from tiny fighters up to huge dreadnoughts

2188: Contact is made with a second Xenosentient species; the Sa'Vasku

send a message to humanity by returning a survivor of the crew of the UNS
McCaffrey, arranging a rendezvous that is attended by a joint NAC/ESU task
force accompanied by a UN ambassador and xenospecialist team. After a
very strange and inconclusive (to the humans) meeting between the UN
delegation and the Sa'Vasku contact constructs, mankind is still not sure if
it has found new friends, or new enemies.
Over the following years of the war, Sa'Vasku ships and fleets turn up
apparently at random throughout human space, sometimes hostile,
sometimes friendly and sometimes just observing; contact with them
proves impossible unless they wish to initiate it, and mankind is still no
nearer understanding their motives or agenda.
2189: The KraVak push towards the core continues unabated, with
mankind scoring only minor successes in space and planetside against the
onslaught. Late in the year, a rapid thrust by KraVak forces deep into
Human space is only narrowly defeated when they attack Centaurus, a
battle which causes heavy losses to the allied human fleets and great
damage to the orbital colonies of the Centaurus system. The appearance of
such a large enemy fleet deep within the core pushes all the human nations
into closer co-operation in the fight to defeat the Kra'Vak.
2190: A brief lull occurs in the fighting while the Kra'Vak, presumably
hurting from the defeat at Centaurus, consolidate their gains in human
space and regroup for their next push. Towards the start of 2191 the
offensive resumes, but with a steadier and more co-ordinated strategy than
the piecemeal strikes of the earlier years. The human forces give ground
slowly as the Kra'Vak waves strike at system after system.
2191: First contact between Humanity and the Phalon race, when a Phalon
ship is fired on and destroyed by an FSE force in the Rhone system. Other
encounters with the Phalons follow, including several retaliatory attacks,
until proper communication is finally established and the two races begin
to understand something of the other. In the event, diplomatic relations
with the Phalons appear almost as unpredictable as with the Sa'Vasku, with
different factions within the Conglomerate siding with either Humanity or
the Kra'Vak seemingly at a whim.
2192: The Kra'Vak continue their pressure on the Hu'man. In July 2192 a
small Kra'Vak deep penetration force actually slips through Sol's system
defences and reaches as far as Mars orbit, hitting several orbital facilities
before the defending fleets can intercept and destroy the invaders. Civilian
panic on Earth rises.
2193: It becomes obvious that a major Kra'Vak push into the core, and
probably to Sol itself, is very near. In desperation, the UNSC (co-ordinating
the defence of the core systems) orders all human forces to withdraw their
ships from the colonies to interdict the core worlds. While many units
comply, others refuse to abandon their colonial home-systems which are still
under attack from KraVak forces. As the New Year approaches, the remnants
of the UNSC/allied fleets begin to gather for a last-ditch defence of the core.
2194: While other battles still rage in many of the colonial systems, the
Kra'Vak main force arrives at the core. Barnard and the already badly hurt
Centaurus are attacked repeatedly by powerful Kra'Vak fleets. In May 2193
the first of the Kra'Vak attacks on the Earth's outer defences begin. The
Siege of Sol has started.......

and carriers. All the ships detailed in this book are available in the line. A full
list of the models in production is given overleaf, correct as of March 2000.
CONTACT ADDRESSES (details correct at time of printing):
UK/Europe etc: GROUND ZERO GAMES, PO BOX 337, NEEDHAM MARKET, SUFFOLK
IP6 8LN, UK. Tel/Fax: 01449 722322. Email: jon@gzg.com
USA/Canada/S.America: GEO-HEX, 2126 NORTH LEWIS, PORTLAND, OREGON
97227, USA. Tel: +503-288-4805. Email: geohex@teleport.com
Australasia: EUREKA MINIATURES, 10 WOORAYL STREET, CARNEGIE, VICTORIA
3136, AUSTRALIA. Tel: +3-9568-4085. Email: nicr@eurekamin.com.au

47

The following list gives details and prices for UK availability of the FT miniature range, correct at time of going to press (March 2000). Prices/pack sizes etc. of miniatures from
overseas licensees will differ - please contact them directly for prices and information. For UK orders, postage and packing rate is 10%, minimum 1, maximum 10.
Credit card orders (Visa, Delta or Mastercard only) can be accepted by post, phone, fax or email.
Please note that all UK miniatures (EXCEPT fighter packs) include PLASTIC STANDS for the ships; the US-produced examples from Geo-Hex include either plastic or metal stands.
NEW ANGLIAN CONFEDERATION (NAC) ROYAL NAVY
FT 101A Firestorm II class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 121 Phantom class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 102A Harrison class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 103 Arapaho class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT 104 Minerva class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 124 Tacoma class HEAVY FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 105 Ticonderoga class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 106 Huron class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 107 Furious class ESCORT CRUISER
FT 108 Vandenburg class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 109 Majestic class BATTLECRUISER
FT 110 Victoria class BATTLESHIP
FT 111B Excalibur class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT
FT 112 Valley Forge class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 113 Inflexible class LIGHT FLEET CARRIER
FT 114 Ark Royal class FLEET SUPERCARRIER

0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
5.95
7.95

EURASIAN SOLAR UNION (ESU) VOYENNO-KOSMICHESKIY FLOT

FT 201A Kilo class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 201B Katya class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 221 Kisha class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 202 Lenov class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 203 Nanuchka II class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT 204 Novgorod class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 205 Warsaw class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 205A Volga class SUPER DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 206 Tibet class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 207 Beijing/B class ESCORT CRUISER
FT 208 Gorshkov class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 208A Voroshilev class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 209 Manchuria class BATTLECRUISER
FT 210 Petrograd class BATTLESHIP
FT 211 Rostov class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT
FT 212 Komarov class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 213 Konstantin class ATTACK CARRIER
FT 214 Tsiolkovsky class LIGHT CARRIER

0.95
0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
2.65
1.95
2.25
2.75
2.95
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
7.95
6.95

NEU SWABIAN LEAGUE (NSL) KRIEGSRAUMFLOTTE

FT 501 Adler class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 501A Wulf class INTERCEPTORS (pack of 6)
FT 521 Wespe class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 502 Falke class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 503 Stroschen class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT 504 Ehrenhold class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 505 Waldburg class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 505A Waldburg/M class MISSILE DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 506 Kronprinz Wilhelm class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 507 Radetzky class ESCORT CRUISER
FT 508 Markgraf class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 509 Maximilian class BATTLECRUISER
FT 509A Richthofen class BATTLECRUISER
FT 510 Maria Von Burgund class BATTLESHIP
FT 511 Szent Istvan class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT
FT 512 Von Tegetthoff class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 513 Der Theuerdank class FIGHTER CARRIER (Modified Tegetthoff SDN)
FT 514 Kaiser Friedrich class LIGHT CARRIER

0.95
0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
7.95
5.95

FEDERAL STATS EUROPA (FSE) ASTROMARINE

FT 601 Mirage IX class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 621 Camerone class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 602 Mistral class SCOUTSHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 603 Athena class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT 604 Ibiza class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 605 San Miguel II (modified) class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 605A Trieste class SUPER DESTROYER (pack of 2)
FT 606 Suffren class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 607 Milan class ESCORT CRUISER
FT 608 Jerez class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 609 Ypres class BATTLECRUISER
FT 610 Roma class BATTLESHIP
FT 611 Bonaparte class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT
FT 612 Foch class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 613 Bologna class LIGHT CARRIER
FT 614 Jeanne DArc class FLEET CARRIER

0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
2.65
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.25
5.50
7.95
5.95
8.95

KRA'VAK DOMINION STAR FORCES

FT 401 RaSan class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 421 Va'San class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 402 LuDak class SCOUTSHIPS(pack of 3)
FT 403 KaTak class STRIKERS (pack of 3)
FT 404 DaKak class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 405 DiTok class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 406 VoBok class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 407 SiTek class PATROL CRUISER
FT 407A KoTek class STRIKE CRUISER
FT 408 VaDok class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 409 TiDak class BATTLECRUISER
FT 410 KoVol class BATTLESHIP
FT 411 LoVok class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT
FT 412 YuKas class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 413 KoSan class STRIKE CARRIER
FT 414 DoSan class TACTICAL CARRIER
FT 415 ShaKen class LIGHT TRANSPORT (pack of 2)
FT 416 ToRok class SURVEY/EXPLORER SHIP

0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.25
4.95
7.95
7.95
5.95
2.25
1.95

SA'VASKU SPACE COMBAT CONSTRUCTS

FT 701 Ku'Tho'Ra class DRONE FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 702A Sa'An'Tha class SCOUT SHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 702B Sa'Kess'Tha class SCOUT SHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 703 Fo'Kiir'Tha class YOUNGER ATTACK SHIP (Corvette) (pack of 3)
FT 704 Fo'Sath'Aan class ATTACK SHIP (Frigate) (pack of 2)
FT 705 Fo'Vur'Ath class ELDER ATTACK SHIP (Destroyer) (pack of 2)
FT 706 Var'Arr'Sha class YOUNGER STRIKE SHIP (Light cruiser)
FT 707A Var'Kiir'Sha class STRIKE SHIP ((Cruiser)
FT 707B Var'Thee'Sha class STRIKE SHIP (Cruiser)
FT 708 Thy'Sa'Teth class YOUNGER BROODSHIP (Escort carrier)
FT 709 Shyy'Tha'Var class ELDER STRIKE SHIP (Battlecruiser)
FT 710 Ann'Var'Teth class YOUNGER LEADER SHIP (Battleship)
FT 711 Sla'Tha'Rosh class LEADER SHIP (Heavy battleship)
FT 712 Vas'Sa'Rosh class ELDER LEADER SHIP (Dreadnought)
FT 713 Vas'Sa'Teth class ELDER BROODSHIP (Heavy carrier)

0.95
1.25
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.95
5.95
7.95
7.95

PHALON CONGLOMERATE GRAND FLEET

FT 801A Nith class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 801B Tuus class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 801C Vaan class INTERCEPTORS (pack of 6)
FT 802A Phyaa class RECON SCOUTS (pack of 3)
FT 802B Vlath class BATTLE SCOUTS (pack of 3)
FT 803 Dorrth class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT 804A Tyaph class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 804B Phuun class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 805 Dinth class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 806 Tsaara class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 807 Huulth class MEDIUM CRUISER
FT 808 Tuuloth class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 809 Keraph class BATTLECRUISER
FT 810 Ptath class BATTLESHIP
FT 811 Saath class LIGHT DREADNOUGHT
FT 812 Voth class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 813 Taanis class FIGHTER MOTHERSHIP (LIGHT)
FT 814 Draath class FIGHTER MOTHERSHIP (HEAVY)

0.95
0.95
0.95
1.25
1.25
1.95
1.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.25
5.95
7.95
5.95
7.95

OCEANIC UNION DEFENCE FLEET

FT 901 OUDF FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 904 OUDF FRIGATE (pack of 2)
FT 905 OUDF DESTROYER (pack of 2)
FT 906 OUDF LIGHT CRUISER
FT 908 OUDF HEAVY CRUISER

0.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.75

ISLAMIC FEDERATION STAR NAVY

FT 1001 Djinn class LIGHT FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 1021 Ghazi class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 1022 Al Shaulah class STRIKESHIPS (pack of 3)
FT 1003 Khabar class CORVETTES (pack of 3)
FT 1004 Al Hawar class FRIGATES (pack of 2)
FT 1005 Saladin class DESTROYERS (pack of 2)
FT 1010 Sword of Islam class BATTLESHIP

0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
2.25
4.25

UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND

FT 1101 Dauntless class FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 1121 Defender class HEAVY FIGHTERS (pack of 6)
FT 1102 Hermes class DIPLOMATIC COURIER (pack of 3)
FT 1103 Warrior class BATTLE CORVETTE (pack of 2 )
FT 1104 Hunter class FRIGATE (pack of 2)
FT 1104A Lawkeeper class PATROL CUTTER (pack of 2)
FT 1105 Lake class DESTROYERS (pack of 6)
FT 1106 Mountain class LIGHT CRUISER
FT 1107 Bay class ESCORT CRUISER
FT 1108 River class HEAVY CRUISER
FT 1109 Point class BATTLECRUISER
FT 1110 Luna class BATTLESHIP
FT 1111 Sea class BATTLEDREADNOUGHT
FT 1112 Gaia class SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 1112A Sol class EXTENDED-RANGE SUPERDREADNOUGHT
FT 1113 Star class LIGHT CARRIER
FT 1114 Constellation class HEAVY CARRIER
FT 1115 Visionary class DEEPRANGE EXPLORER
FT 1116 FLEET REPLENISHMENT TENDER

0.95
0.95
1.25
1.95
1.95
1.95
2.25
1.95
2.25
2.75
3.95
4.25
5.95
7.95
9.95
6.95
9.95
4.95
4.95

MERCHANT, SUPPORT and CIVILIAN SHIPS

FT 302 Clarke class EXPLORATION/SURVEY CRUISER
FT 305 Hamburg class HEAVY MODULAR FREIGHTER
FT 306 Bustler class DEEP SPACE TUG
FT 307 Antares class INNER-SYSTEM SHUTTLE (interface capable)
FT 308 MEDIUM FREIGHTER
FT 309 MEDIUM FREIGHTER TYPE B
FT 311 Bremen class FREIGHTER
FT 314 Schwarzwald HEAVY FREIGHTER
FT 309A MEDIUM FREIGHTER (redesigned version of 309)
FT 316 SHORT-HAUL LIGHT FREIGHTER
FT 317 LIGHT TANKER SHIP
FT 318A MEDIUM FREIGHTER with cargo module (Type A bridge unit)
FT 318B MEDIUM FREIGHTER with cargo module (Type B bridge unit)
FT 319 HEAVY MODULAR FREIGHTER (revised version of FT305)
FT 320 LIGHT PERSONNEL SHUTTLES (pack of 6)

4.95
5.95
2.45
1.95
2.95
2.95
2.95
3.95
2.95
1.65
1.95
2.95
2.95
5.95
0.95

FT FIGHTER GROUP STANDS (metal)

FT 001 Fighter Group Base - metal hexagonal stand with holes for up to
6 wire-mounted FT fighters (mounting wire not supplied), plus space to carry
record-keeping die or counter on stand base.
0.75

48

Full Thrust
Cross Dimensions
Hugh Fisher
Jon Tuffley
June 2010

Revision: 1.1
Credits and Thanks
Original FULL THRUST designed and written by: Jon Tuffley
CROSS DIMENSIONS developed by:

Hugh Fisher

Thanks to Eric Foley, Beth Fulton, Andrew Kelman, Phil LeHunt, Brendan Robertson, Karsten Zeidler, and everyone who
contributed ideas or feedback, and to Jon Tuffley and GZG for permission to distribute this book. This does not mean that
they agree with everything (or anything) that Ive done!
This version would not exist without the earlier inspiration and hard work of Jon Tuffley and all the previous contributors
to FULL THRUST.
Text, figures, and layout by Hugh Fisher. Cover and interior artwork by Rob Armstrong of Bullseye Graphics.
This publication has been produced as a free, non-commercial project with the agreement of Ground Zero Games, but is not endorsed by
them as an official Full Thrust edition. All original text and rules taken from GZGs Full Thrust rules and supplements are copyright of
Jon Tuffley and GZG, additional new material is by Hugh Fisher. Jon Tuffley and GZG have not been involved in the production of the new
material in this publication, and cannot therefore vouch for the compatibility of any of the additions with existing or future official Full
Thrust material. None of the original Full Thrust material used in this publication may be re-used or further modified in any form without
the express permission of Jon Tuffley and GZG. Full Thrust is a trademark of Ground Zero Games, and is used here with permission.

Owners of this book are hereby granted permission to photocopy any required System Status Displays, counters, and
record sheets for personal use only.

4.11 Introductory scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Contents

4.12 Strange events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

1 Introduction

1.1 For experienced players . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.2 For new players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.3 How to use this book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.4 Playing equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 Offensive and Defensive Systems

18

5.1 Grasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.2 Torpedoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.3 Submunition packs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.4 Needle weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2 Rules Overview

2.1 Distance and direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.2 3D, or not 3D? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.3 Ship classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.4 Ship System Status Display . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.5 Game turns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.6 Sequence of play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 Cinematic Movement

5.5 FireCon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.6 Defensive screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.7 Advanced screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.8 Shell armour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.9 Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.10 Point defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.11 Area-defence fire control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.12 Alien technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.1 Ship movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.2 Thrust ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 Missiles

22

6.1 Launching missiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

3.3 Advanced drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
6.2 Point defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.4 Making course changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
6.3 Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3.5 Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

6.4 Mountings and magazines . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3.6 Squadron operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

6.5 Magazine capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

3.7 Collisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6.6 Optional: multi-stage missiles . . . . . . . . . . 24

3.8 Ships leaving the table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3.9 Vector movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4 Beam Combat

7 Fighters

25

7.1 Launch and recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

13

7.2 Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

4.1 Beam weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

4.2 Fire Arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

7.3 Screens and pursuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4.3 Range bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

7.4 Ship fire against fighters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4.4 Fire control systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

7.5 Target selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4.5 Beam fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

7.6 Point defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4.6 Defensive screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7.7 Fighter combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4.7 Armour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7.8 Endurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4.8 Optional rule: rear arc attacks . . . . . . . . . . 15

7.9 Specialised types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4.9 Threshold points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

7.10 Extra capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

4.10 Rolling dice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

7.11 Optional rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

1

8 Threshold Points

30

12 Special Moves

47

12.1 Thrust 0 drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

8.1 Damage to systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

12.2 Rolling ships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

8.2 Core systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

12.3 Towing ships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

8.3 Damage control parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
12.4 Moving table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
8.4 Crew casualties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

12.5 Disengaging from battle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

8.5 Cargo and passengers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

12.6 Docking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
12.7 Ramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

9 FTL

32
13 Terrain

9.1 Advanced FTL drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

49

13.1 Asteroids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

9.2 FTL exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

13.2 Dust or nebulae clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

9.3 FTL entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
13.3 Solar flares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
9.4 FTL tugs and tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

13.4 Meteor swarms and debris . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

9.5 Battle riders and motherships . . . . . . . . . . 33

13.5 Battle debris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

9.6 Jump gates and portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

13.6 Collisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
13.7 Starbases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

10 Optional Rules

36

13.8 Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

10.1 Sensors and ECM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

13.9 Atmospheric entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

10.2 Advanced sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

14 No! Not the Nova Cannon!
10.3 Dummy bogeys and weasel boats . . . . . . . . 36

54

14.1 Spinal mount nova cannon . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

10.4 Electronic counter measures . . . . . . . . . . . 37

14.2 Wave gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

10.5 Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

14.3 Reflex field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

10.6 Ortillery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

14.4 Cloaking field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

10.7 Boarding actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

15 Battles and Campaigns

56

10.8 Fleet morale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

15.1 Deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

10.9 Striking the colours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

15.2 Tournament fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

15.3 Combat Points Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

11 Ship Design

40

15.4 Humour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

11.1 Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

15.5 The GZG setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

11.2 Mass rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

15.6 The cross dimensional setting . . . . . . . . . . 58

11.3 Hull strengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Summary of Changes

59

Quick Reference

60

Introductory SSDs and counters

61

11.4 Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
11.5 Ship design procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
11.6 Mass and points cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2

Introduction

to use the official miniatures. Nor is there a monthly magazine or endless stream of supplements that you need to
keep up with. Obviously the more GZG products you buy
the happier GZG will be, but buy them because you want
to, not because somebody says you have to.

1 Introduction
First and foremost, this is not the third edition. This is a
variant, a different version of FULL THRUST produced with
the (much appreciated) permission of Ground Zero Games
and Jon Tuffley.

Above all, FULL THRUST is intended to be an enjoyable

game. If you are not happy with a rule or system, throw it
out and use your own that is what science fiction gaming
is (or should be) all about!

Because this is not an official GZG publication, do not

send questions, complaints, or suggestions to GZG. Hugh
Fisher has final responsibility for everything in this book,
so bother him by email to laranzu@ozemail.com.au.
1.1

1.3

For experienced players

This section and the next three give an overview of how

FULL THRUST : CROSS DIMENSIONS is played and an introduction to the cinematic movement system and to beam
weapon combat. Once you have read those, you will be
ready to try an introductory scenario like most games, the
best way to learn is by actually playing. This shouldnt take
more than an hour.

CROSS DIMENSIONS has many small differences from the

GZG edition of FULL THRUST think Rugby Union and
Rugby League, or American football and Canadian football but the intent has always been to remain as similar
as possible to the style and spirit of the original. The First
Rule of Full Thrust still applies: if you dont like any rule,
ignore it or change it!

After that read the remaining sections which describe additional weaponry and defensive systems, faster than light
(FTL) drives, fighters, ship design, and various other topics.

For an overview of the differences between CROSS DIMEN SIONS and FLEET BOOK 1 and FLEET BOOK 2 see the Summary of Changes on page 59. Play a few battles as soon as
possible and carefully read each section of the rules as you
need them to discover what has changed. And while I hope
you will find the changes in CROSS DIMENSIONS to be interesting, there is no guarantee that any of the new rules in
this book will be used in any future edition of FULL THRUST.

Throughout this book you will see that some rules are labelled optional. (While every rule in FULL THRUST is optional, some are more optional than others.) Pick and
choose which of these you wish to use, but just remember
to agree with your opponent which ones are in play and
which are not.

This is a rule book, not a fleet book, so does not include any
ship designs. All of the ships in FLEET BOOK 1 can be used
unchanged with CROSS DIMENSIONS. The alien ships and
rules from FLEET BOOK 2 and the newer fleets for the GZG
setting available online may require slight changes to mass
or points cost.
1.2

How to use this book

1.4

Playing equipment

To play FULL THRUST you need a medium sized table, some

space ship models or counters and corresponding SSD
sheets, a tape measure, some standard six-sided dice, pens
or pencils and some paper for writing movement orders.

For new players

Playing area

The premise of FULL THRUST has always been that this is

not a super-realistic simulation that takes hours to make
a single move. It is a system for fast, fun games with fairly
large numbers of ships (a dozen or more per side is no
problem), which can be played in a reasonable length of
time.

One of the great advantages of starship combat games is

that you do not need any terrain. A table about 6 by 4
(1.8m by 1.2m) is best, but you can use any suitable flat
area for the game or even the floor. (Pets, small siblings,
and vacuum cleaners notwithstanding. . . )

FULL THRUST puts you in the role of squadron or fleet commander. The commander decides what to do and when
based on knowledge of the ships own capabilities and
those of the enemy, but doesnt personally tune the laser
frequencies or tweak the ECM programs. In the vast majority of science fiction battles are not won by remodulating the coffee maker diodes or other forms of technobabble, and FULL THRUST is no different. You may be surprised
by how simple the rules are and how few different types of
weapon there are, but this doesnt make the game any less
challenging.

If you want maximum visual appeal, obtain a large piece

of black cloth, paper or card to cover the playing area and
speckle it with varying-size dots of white and yellow paint.
A starfield can be produced in about half an hour and
looks surprisingly effective.

FULL THRUST has an original setting and range of miniatures, but you are not obliged to use either. This seems to
surprise many gamers so is worth repeating: you dont have

As this is primarily a miniatures game, we obviously recommend that it is played with actual starship models.
These can be placed flat on the table, but we recommend

Although terrain is not needed, once you are accustomed

to the rules you will find that battles involving space stations, asteroids, or other features are more interesting.
Ship models

Introduction

they be mounted on hexagonal base stands. Ships on

stands look better, acquire less fingerprints, and the centre
of the stand gives a useful reference point for measuring
distances in play.

Measurements
You will need a tape measure or long ruler, graduated in
whatever units you are using for play (inches or centimetres); a ruler or straight edge can also be useful for checking
lines of fire.

If you do not wish to use model ships, the game will also
run perfectly well using card or plastic counters to represent ships; all you need is some identification mark or
code on each counter, a mark to indicate the centre of the
counter for measurement, and something to show the facing (present direction) of the ship.

The Course and Fire Arc Gauge printed at the back of this
book may be photocopied, cut out and stuck to a piece of
thick card, or a more elaborate version may be constructed
as players desire. (Eg from clear plastic sheet or similar.)
While this template is not essential to play, it does make
moving ships much easier and more accurate, and should
also reduce any arguments about fire arcs.

We have supplied enough copy-and-cut-out counters in

the back of the book to enable you to play out the introductory scenario. We hope this will get you sufficiently interested in the game to start collecting your own fleet of
models.

Fellow players
The introductory scenario can be played against an opponent or solo. After that, ask around at your local gaming
club, or venture online and search for GZG and Full Thrust
related web sites an excellent starting point is

Every ship needs a matching system status display (SSD)

which shows all the weapons and systems that a ship is fitted with and records damage. SSDs for the introductory
scenario are provided in the back of the book. Photocopy
these, and if you wish you can then put the copies in clear
plastic document wallets and record orders and damage
with erasable markers, so the sheets can be re-used.

http://www.star-ranger.com

There is an active world wide community of FULL THRUST

gamers, happily creating new rules and new ships for all
manner of purposes. Join us and add your distinctiveness
to the collective, or something like that.
Updates

If you are using fighter groups in the game, there are a

number of ways these can be represented. To give maximum visual appeal you can mount the correct number of
individual fighter models on a single base so that they are
removable in some way to indicate losses. A simpler way is
to permanently mount a few fighter models (or even a single one) on a base and use a separate counter to indicate
the actual number of fighters it represents.

This is the first revision of CROSS DIMENSIONS. The changes

from the original are listed on page 59.
Any updates to these rules will be available online at:
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~laranzu/fullthrust/

Although not compulsory, the FULL THRUST starship

miniatures line now includes over 200 different models and
is highly recommended. For sales in the UK, Europe, or the
Americas, contact Ground Zero Games:
http://www.gzg.com

Customers in Australia or nearby should contact Eureka

Miniatures:
http://www.eurekamin.com.au

Dice
To play FULL THRUST you need a number of normal (6sided) dice, referred to in the rules as D6. Just a couple of
dice will do, but a half-dozen or more will be useful when
firing lots of weaponry at once.
CROSS DIMENSIONS tries to balance game outcomes across
die rolls. Mostly high rolls are better, but sometimes high
rolls cause failures, or low rolls are successful.

Occasionally the rules require a D12 roll. If you dont have

a twelve sided die, just roll 2D6: if the first is 1-3, use the
second as rolled; if the first is 4-6, add 6 to the second.
4

Rules Overview

Direction

2 Rules Overview
2.1

Ship direction, or course, is measured in clock points. (For

our younger readers, we mean the analog clocks that were
common in the previous millennium.) Each point is equal
to 30 . Courses are measured relative to the table edge a
fleet starts from, so 12 is straight ahead, 3 90 to the right,
and so on. Ship orders are given relative to the current
course: Starboard 2 would change from 12 to 2, or 7 to
9. See section 3.1 for how facings are used in movement
and section 4.2 for weapons fire.

Distance and direction

FULL THRUST measures distance and velocity in Measurement Units (MU).

One MU on the table represents hundreds to thousands of

kilometres, depending on player preferences. For tactical
purposes:

0 6 MU is point blank range where fighters attack

and missiles home in.

Ships mounted on hex bases are easy to align. Ships with

course 12, 3, 6, or 9 will have the front edge parallel to a
table edge; for the courses in between one pair of opposite
edges must be aligned to table edges.

0 12 MU is close range, where weapons fire will be

particularly deadly.

Ship course represents the average or majority direction in

a single game turn, not that the ship is precisely following
that line.

12 24 MU is medium range where the smallest

weapons cannot fire.

FULL THRUST uses the naval terms port, starboard, fore,

and aft for directions, but you can use left, right, front, and
back if you prefer.

24 36 MU is long range where most light ships cannot

fire.

2.2

3D, or not 3D?

Using the common 1 inch = 1 MU scale, an average 6 by 4

table is 72 x 48 MU, a good size for a typical battle.

Some starship combat games have made attempts to simulate 3-dimensional movement and combat, with varying
degrees of success. The FULL THRUST authors believe that
while it can be done, it is not worthwhile. Tables are 2D
surfaces: adding a 3rd dimension requires special stands,
is harder to follow, and the extra complications remove one
of the major elements of the game having fun!

It is just as valid to have a scale of 1 MU = 1 centimetre if you

are playing on a small tabletop, or if you want a game with
very high speeds and lots of manoeuvring room on your
normal size of table. Basically, 1 MU can be any distance
you want it to be according to the size of playing area you
have, the size of models you are using, and simply personal
preferences. If you have a whole sports hall to use, then
why not try using giant ship models and 1 foot (or even 1
metre) units?

In an aerial combat game the third dimension (height) is

vital, because atmospheric craft behave differently in the
vertical plane than they do in the horizontal. Once you
move into space, however, all the dimensions are essentially the same, and while the front and back of a spacecraft
are different the sides, top, and bottom are usually almost
identical. Very little is lost by compressing the game to only
two dimensions, and a great deal is gained in the way of
simplicity and playability.

The ship models used in Full Thrust (and indeed any tactical space game) are actually vastly over-size compared to
the distances represented in the game; in true scale, the actual ships would be so tiny you probably couldnt see them.
All measurements and arcs of fire are therefore relative to
a designated centre point on the model, not the edges or
corners. For the same reason there are no line of sight
or inter-penetration rules for ships: they can freely fly or
shoot through each other.

2.3

Only unusually powerful (and expensive) weapons can fire

at ranges beyond 36 MU.

Ship classes

Mass
Ship size in FULL THRUST is measured in abstract mass
units.
The total mass of a given hull is a representation of the capacity of that hull for outfitting it with drives, weapons, defensive systems, etc. This total mass figure is used to refer
to the size of the ship: a size 24 ship could be fitted with a
maximum of 24 mass of systems.

In addition to the actual ships, there are a number of other

items that can be represented either by counters or models
(depending on your time, resources, and the overall visual
impression you are aiming for). These include asteroids
and bogeys (unidentified sensor contacts). Suggestions
on how to model these are included in the appropriate sections.

Mass ratings indicate the required volume, power requirements, crew stations, etc rather than being an exact measure of the bulk or weight of a single piece of equipment.
In the GZG setting, one mass unit represents about fifty to
one hundred actual tons.
5

Rules Overview

Points

2.4

Ship System Status Display

All the systems and equipment fitted to a ship have a points

cost, calculated from the mass. The more effective or hightech systems have a higher points cost for a given mass, so
it is possible for two ships of the same total mass to have
different points costs due to differences in systems carried.

The system status display (SSD) for each ship has symbols
for all the drives, weapons, and systems fitted. Figure 1
shows the SSD for one of the cruisers used in the introductory scenario.
In the bottom row of the SSD are the symbols for the FTL
and main drive, and the optional Core Systems.

As in many games, the points system is used for one-off

and tournament battles to ensure roughly equal forces on
each side despite a variety of ship designs. See section 11
for ship design and section 15 for suggestions about fleet
composition.

The rows of small boxes above the drive symbols are the
hull or damage track that shows the actual damage point
total that the ship can take. When damage is inflicted,
these points are marked off the target ships hull boxes on
its SSD, starting at the top left and crossing out one box per
damage point inflicted. When you reach the end of one
line of boxes, this is a threshold point (section 4.9) and each
ship system must make a threshold check.

The FULL THRUST ship design and points system is very

easy to work with and does not require a spreadsheet.
Modifying existing ships and designing new ones is common among FULL THRUST players.
Classes

Immediately above the hull are some round armour symbols, which absorb damage, and above those and to the
right the various offensive and defensive weapon systems
carried. If a system is knocked out as a result of a threshold
point check it is crossed off the diagram.

FULL THRUST , like most science fiction, uses 20th century western naval terms to describe spacecraft. (Irritating
though this may be to the current day air forces.)

Fighters are the tiny spacecraft that are carried into battle
by larger starships, individually very weak but dangerous
in large numbers. Fighters do not need SSDs, and are not
referred to as ships in these rules.

When a ship has had all of its hull boxes crossed out (ie it
is reduced to 0 damage points or less) then it is considered
destroyed and removed from play.

Combat starships are divided into three broad groups: escorts, cruisers, and capital ships.

Beam-2

Escorts are the smaller ship classes, ranging from the tiny
couriers through corvettes and frigates up to destroyer
class ships. Frequently used on detached duty in lowthreat areas, or patrol missions and courier duties, and to
support heavier ships of cruiser or capital class. Ships of
the escort group are lightly armed and protected; they are
effective against their own kind, but of relatively little use
against heavier ship units.

Beam-1

Beam-2

1
2

PDS

Armour

Cruisers are the medium sized warships, used to support

the heavy line of battle ships but also capable of holding
their own on independent operations. Cruisers are often
further divided into light, escort and heavy cruiser classes.
They are reasonably agile and well protected, with heavier
weaponry than the small escorts.

FireCon

Hull boxes

Screen

FTL drive

Capital ships are the heavy line-of-battle classes, from

battlecruisers and battleships up to the vast superdreadnoughts and fleet carriers. These ships are leviathans,
bristling with heavy weaponry and defences against attack.
Capital units form the core of a battlefleet or task force and
many carry their own onboard fighter groups as both an
offensive and defensive weapon.

4
Main drive Core systems
Figure 1: System Status Display

Individual symbols will be explained in the following sections.

In addition to these classes, a carrier is any ship with

hangar space for fighters, even if that is not its primary role
in battle.

2.5

See section 11.2 for more refined ship designations within

each class.

Game turns

FULL THRUST ,

turns.
6

like most tabletop games, divides time into

Rules Overview

3. Launch missiles. Both players alternate in announcing and placing heavy missiles, salvo missiles, or any
similar ordnance weapons. Players alternate by ships,
not by missile or salvo. The player who lost initiative
launches first.

A game turn in FULL THRUST represents about five to ten

minutes of action, enough time for the commander to order a change of course and have it carried out, a ship to
aim and fire an effective salvo or volley and take defensive
measures against incoming fire, or a fighter group to make
an attack run against a ship.

4. Move fighter groups.

A typical six to twelve turn battle therefore represents an
hour or two of actual combat. A ship with velocity 8 will go
from long range to close range in 3 or 4 game turns, assuming that the target is standing still, and will cross from one
end of a typical table to the other in 9 turns, assuming no
further acceleration.

Both players alternate in moving one fighter group

each until all fighter groups in play have been moved
(if desired). All fighter groups being launched this turn
must be moved before those already in flight. The
player who lost initiative moves first.
Any fighter group may declare it is screening or pursuing instead of making a normal move.

Both (or all) sides perform the same actions in a single

turn. When the order matters, players alternate one ship
at a time, not by entire fleet.

5. Move ships.

Turns exist only to make the game playable, and should

not be regarded as a rigid division of non-overlapping time.
The sequence of engine burns and course adjustments that
are represented by one turn of movement would really start
about half way through the previous turn and be completed by the half way point, while the weapons fire in one
turn starts at about the middle of the turn and continues
into the next.

Any asteroids, starbases, or other objects with fixed

movement paths are moved first.

Resource management

Resolve collisions, mine sweeping, or mine attacks as

they occur.

Both players simultaneously move their ships, strictly

in accordance with orders written in phase 1. Ships
laying mines are moved before all others. Screening or
pursuing fighter groups are moved at the same time
with the appropriate ship.
Ships entering or exiting FTL are moved or placed last.

FULL THRUST does not track power consumption, fuel consumption, or ammunition supply other than for one-shot
weapons. Ships are assumed to enter battle with sufficient
fuel and ammunition to fight a normal battle.

2.6

6. Secondary fighter moves.

Fighter groups may, if desired, make a secondary
move in this phase.
7. Allocate missile and fighter attacks.

Sequence of play

All missiles and fighter groups that are within the

specified attack ranges of suitable targets (and wish to
attack, in the case of fighters) are moved into attack
positions: counters and/or fighter models are moved
next to the intended target model, so it is clear exactly
what they are attacking.

A game turn consists of phases. Each phase represents a

different kind of action (move, shoot, etc.) carried out by
all the ships on the board.
Each turn, all players move and fire their ships in the sequence given below.

8. Fighters against fighters or missiles.

For the introductory scenario you will need only phases 1,

2, 5, 11, and 12. The game turn sequence is not as complex
as it may appear at first sight, and performing actions in
the correct order will soon become second nature.

Fighter vs. fighter actions (dogfights), attempted

fighter interceptions, fighter groups defending against
missile attacks, and screening actions by fighters are
resolved before actual point defence fire is allocated
to surviving ships.

1. Write orders.

9. Point defence fire.

Each game turn starts with both players simultaneously (and secretly) writing the movement orders for
all the ships they control.

Any ship under missile and/or fighter attack allocates

its defences against attacking elements, then rolls for
effect. As with ship fire, announce all targets before
rolling any dice.

Announce ships entering by FTL and place markers at

each designated entry point.

Ships with ADFC may choose to fire in defence of

other ships, even if they are not under attack themselves.

Announce ships entering or leaving a squadron.

2. Roll for initiative.
Players roll a D6 each: highest roll has initiative for this
turn. (If there are more than two players, the winner
decides the order for the others.)

Any ship that wishes to shoot at multiple fighter

groups or missiles must divide point defence weapons
between them.
7

Rules Overview

Most games are played as open book where players can

look at the SSDs of enemy ships at any time. This is because they are assumed to have intelligence briefings (military designs are never as secret as their owners think!) and
various types of reconnaissance platforms, sensors, computer predictions, etc that give quite accurate knowledge
about the current state of the enemy fleet. In space, there
isnt any place to hide so this is quite reasonable.

10. Missile and fighters against ships.

All missiles and fighter groups that survive defensive
fire in the previous phase now have their attacks resolved. Damage resulting from these attacks is applied
immediately, including threshold point checks if applicable.
11. Ships fire.
Starting with the player who won initiative, each
player alternates in firing any/all weapon systems
on one ship at one or more targets (ships or fighter
groups) subject to available fire control. Damage
caused is applied immediately, and threshold point
checks are made where applicable as soon as all
weapons fired by one ship at that one target have been
resolved.

Players do not have access to enemy SSDs when using

the optional Sensors and ECM rules in section 10.1, or if
the designer of a scenario specifies otherwise. Velocity
and course can only be hidden under exceptional circumstances.

When a ship is selected to fire, announce the targets

for all the fire the player intends to carry out with
that ship, before any dice are rolled for fire effects; for
example: I am firing both 3 batteries at the heavy
cruiser in my fore arc, and the 2 battery at the frigate
to starboard.

The phase order in CROSS DIMENSIONS is slightly different

to earlier editions of FULL THRUST: fighter movement is
now after missile launch instead of before.

Differences

After a ship has fired some or all of its weaponry and

play has moved on to another ship, that ship may not
fire any other ship to ship weapons in that game turn.
A single target ship may, of course, be fired on more
than once in the turn by different attackers.
12. Damage control.
Make any damage control repair rolls.
If the Core System rules are being used, count down
1 completed game turn from damaged bridge or life
support systems and roll to see if damaged reactor systems explode.
In FULL THRUST weapons can only be used once per turn,
so any system used for point defence can only be directed
against a single fighter group or missile, and cannot be
used again in that turn against a ship.
Variations
Many players combine the point defence and missile/fighter attack phases. Once all the defensive fire has
been allocated, it is easier to carry out the defensive fire
and missile or fighter attack phases one ship at a time.
In a single ship per side battle, the initiative roll becomes
too important. It is optional but recommended in such
battles for players to record the amount of damage suffered
from ships fire but not actually apply damage and threshold checks until after both ships have fired.
Information
Before writing movement orders, players can ask opponents for the last known velocity and course (ie at the end
of the previous turns movement phase) of any ships.
8

Cinematic Movement

3 Cinematic Movement
3.1

12

Ship movement

FULL THRUST uses a Cinematic set of rules for ship movement which allows ships to move as they are most often
depicted in the sci-fi media, with little regard for the laws
of physics.

The movement of a ship in any given game turn is defined

by two factors: the ships course and velocity. The current course indicates the direction in which the ship will
move, and the velocity shows how far it will move along
that course.

Figure 2: Ship Course Example

3.2

Ships obey one of the basic Laws of Motion, in that once

they are moving in a particular direction they will continue
to move in the same direction and at the same speed until
they apply thrust to alter course and/or velocity.

Thrust ratings

Each ship has a Thrust Rating, which is a measure of the

output of its drive systems relative to the Mass of the ship.
The thrust rating of the ship is the combined acceleration,
deceleration, and course changing that can be performed
in one turn. The higher the rating, the faster and more agile the ship.

This means there is effectively no maximum speed for any

ship theoretically it can continue to accelerate each game
turn if the player so wishes, and will maintain whatever velocity it reaches until it applies more (reverse) thrust to decelerate again. At higher velocities, however, a ship may
not be able to manoeuvre quickly enough to remain on the
playing area, so think carefully before going too fast.

The ship SSD has an symbol for the main drive and thrust
rating as shown in figure 3.

Ships may not have negative velocities, ie they may not

move backwards. To retrace its course, a ship must be
turned around.

Velocity

Main drive

The current velocity of a ship is defined as the number of

Movement Units (ie inches or centimetres) that the ship
will move in that current game turn. A ship travelling at velocity 8 will move 8 MU in that game turn, unless it applies
any thrust to alter that velocity.

Figure 3: Main drive symbol

Up to the full rating may be used to accelerate or decelerate, changing the velocity of the ship.

Ships must always move the full distance specified by their

current velocity.

Up to half the rating, rounded down, may be used to

change facing. Each point of thrust applied to course
changes will alter the ships course by one course point during the game turn. A ship with a thrust rating of 4 could
accelerate or decelerate by up to 4 MU per game turn, or
could apply up to 2 points of thrust to course changes and
still be able to make a 2 MU change to velocity in the same
turn. The ship cannot however, apply more than 2 of its
available thrust points to changing course.

Velocity changes take effect immediately at the beginning

of each game turn: a ship ordered to change from 8 MU to
12 MU velocity moves the full 12 MU in that turn. (This is
not in accordance with the Laws of Physics, but it is easier.)
Course
A ship may only move on one of twelve courses, which
are defined by the clock face method. At the start of the
game, each player should decide which direction represents course 12 usually away from the base edge of the
play area is convenient and then work out each course
from this reference point.

Example: A ship with thrust rating of 6 decides to apply 3

points (its available maximum) to altering course. The ship
is currently travelling on course 10; if it is to turn to port it
will turn anticlockwise, ending up on course 7. Should the
turn be made to starboard (clockwise), the final course will
be 1.

The direction that the nose or bow of the ship points to is

the facing. In the cinematic movement system, the course
and facing are always identical.

(Whether to round up or down has changed from version

to version of FULL THRUST. This revision of CROSS DIMEN SIONS uses the second edition rule.)

Example: In figure 2, ship A is travelling on course 12 and

ship B is on course 5.
9

Cinematic Movement

A ship that has a thrust rating of 1 can change facing by

1 point, but not on consecutive game turns. Such a ship
can accelerate or decelerate by 1 MU each game turn, or
change facing by 1 provided it did not change facing on the
previous turn.

Thrust 6: Ships that rely on speed and agility, often at the

expense of protection. A few very fast and manoeuvrable
capital ships, much larger than their equally well armed
thrust-4 equivalents. Most fast cruisers and destroyers, and
escort sized pirates or ships designed to catch pirates.

3.3

Thrust 7-8: Very fast scouts, couriers, and reconnaissance

ships; usually lightly armed and not intended for serious
fighting.

Advanced drives

Unusual species or ships may be capable of amazing spins

and turns due to their advanced drives. These are rare: it
is not enough for such ships to be more agile than others,
but to be able to perform manoeuvres impossible to normal ships.

Thrust 9+: The space going equivalent of turbocharged

street racers, probably with chrome paint job and extremely loud sound system!
3.4

To differentiate advanced drives from normal drives, a

slightly different symbol is used on the System Status Display, and when the thrust rating of an advanced drive is
written down it is suffixed by an A to indicate that the advanced drive rules should be used.

Making course changes

A ship making a course change is assumed to be applying a sideways thrust vector throughout the movement in
that game turn, and would therefore move in a curved path
ending the turn pointing towards its new course.

Ships with advanced main drives move and manoeuvre

in exactly the same way as other ships with one exception: they are permitted to use up to all of their thrust rating to change course instead of half. A ship with an advanced drive with a thrust rating of 6 could actually make a
full 180about-face in a single turn, though its path would
in fact be an L-shaped manoeuvre rather than a turn in
place, as it is still bound by the normal rules about splitting course changes between the start and midpoint of the
movement.

To simulate this when moving the ship model, half of the

course change is made at the start of the ships movement,
and the remaining half at the mid-point of the move. If the
total course change is an odd number, then round down
the initial part of the change and round up the mid-move
part.

Final

Typical thrust ratings

5 MU

Thrust 0: Space habitats, satellites, asteroid bases, giant

battle stations. Thrust 0 doesnt mean it cant move or turn,
but that any change of course or speed takes planning and
a few hours or days to take effect. The captain doesnt just
shout Helm, hard a-port!
Thrust 1: Orbital defence platforms or satellites with minimal ability to change position, primitive spaceships, enormous bulk cargo carrying merchant ships. Warships dont
have thrust 1 drives: it is just too dangerous to be so limited
in movement.

int

o
2p

U
5M
1 point

Thrust 2: Many civilian ships, and huge and lumbering

warships that rely on power and brute force, not manoeuvre. This doesnt necessarily mean slow, as they can build
up quite a speed over a long straight stretch, but nobody
would describe such a ship as a graceful mover.

Start

Thrust 3: Still clumsy on the turn but with better straight

line speed and acceleration.
Thrust 4: A common velocity for capital warships that allows a good balance of speed, protection, and firepower.
Cruisers or escorts with thrust 4 are expected to stand and
fight rather than dodge or chase.

Figure 4: Course change by 3 points

Example: The ship in figure 4 is currently moving on course
3 at a velocity of 10. The player decides to alter the ships
course to 12, by turning 3 points to port. At the start of its
movement, the ship is turned one point to port (half the total course change, rounded down) bringing it to course 2.
It is then moved half its velocity 5 MU along course 2,

Thrust 5: Faster than average capital ships used by fleets

that value rapid strikes and ambushes. Also a good speed
for cruisers that need just enough margin to be able to escape the typical thrust 4 capital.
10

Cinematic Movement

then turned again through two course points, bringing it

round to course 12 as intended. Finally, the ship completes
its movement by travelling its remaining 5 MU along course
12. All measurements are made from a point on the model.

Although not strictly movement orders, certain other actions such as launching fighters and FTL entry or exit must
be written down as well.
Halted ships

If the ships velocity is an odd number, also round down the

first half of the distance and round up the second half.

In earlier editions of FULL THRUST a halted ship with velocity zero could change facing by any number of points.
This no longer applies: as cinematic spaceships turn at
the same rate regardless of velocity, a halted ship is still restricted to pivoting no more than half the drive rating.

Example: The ship in figure 5 is moving on course 7 at a velocity of 6, and is to accelerate by 5 to velocity 11 and make a
one-point turn to starboard to bring it on to course 8. At the
start of its movement the ship does not alter course (half of
one being rounded down to zero), so moves half its distance
(5 MU after rounding down) along course 7. Now the ship
makes its one point of turn to course 8, and then moves the
remaining 6 MU.

Double course change

A ship with a sufficient thrust rating may make a double
course change in one turn. A ship making a double course
change always makes the first course change before moving and the second at the half way point, even if the first
change is greater than the second.

Start

5M

Example: The ship in figure 6 has orders P1 S1 to first turn

to port and then back to starboard, resuming the original
course but at some distance to port.

oin
t

1p

Final

Final

6M

Figure 5: Course change by 1 point

3.5

Orders

At the start of the turn, each player must write orders for
each ship. If you wish a ship simply to move ahead at its
current speed, no orders are necessary; but we recommend
that you at least write down the (same) final velocity. Any
ship with no orders will move straight ahead at unchanged
speed, as will any that are given impossible orders, such as
one that would exceed the ships thrust rating.

Start
Figure 6: Double course change

The actual orders are written in brief notation, giving

course change (if any) and direction (port or starboard),
plus any acceleration (as a +) or deceleration (as a -). The
new final velocity is then written after the order, as reference for the next turn.

3.6

Squadron operations

For example, an order of P2+4: 12 would indicate a ship with

an initial velocity of 8 making a two point turn to port (P),
plus acceleration of 4 MU, with a new final velocity of 12 (8
+ 4).

Squadron operations are especially suited to groups of

smaller escort ships, though there is no reason why major
craft should not also operate in this way. A squadron is two
to four ships in line ahead, line abreast, wedge, or diamond
formation; but it could also be one large ship surrounded
by a ring of up to six escorts. The models must be as close
together as practical.

Orders and movement can be speeded up by dividing all

or part of each fleet into squadrons of several ships each,
which then move as cohesive units.

Orders can be either written on SSD sheets or on a separate

order sheet as desired.
11

Cinematic Movement

A squadron of ships, once announced as such, all move

together, using just one movement order. The lead ship
moves as normal, while the others maintain the same relative position to it throughout the manoeuvre. The lead ship
is often but not always the one at the front. The player has
only to write the one set of orders for the squadron each
turn, rather than orders for each individual ship.

3.8

Ships leaving the table

As there is no maximum speed for any ship (they can theoretically keep accelerating each turn without limit), sometimes a ship may find it impossible to turn enough to avoid
flying off the playing area. This is usually considered a retreat from the battle unless using the moving table rules
(section 12.4) or fighting an orbital scenario (section 13.8).

For ships in line ahead, always move the lead ship according to orders with the others staying in formation behind
it.

As an optional rule roll 1 die: on a roll of 1, 2, or 3; the

ship may not return to play during the game. A roll of 4,
5, or 6 indicates the ship may re-enter the table after the
equivalent number of turns have elapsed (eg 5 turns if a
5 is rolled). Ships will always re-enter play from the same
side of the playing area as they left, though the actual point
of entry is up to the player.

For ships in other formations, the lead ship is the ship that
has to move furthest, which is the leftmost for starboard
turns, the rightmost for port.

Ships can also leave the playing area from any location by
use of FTL as explained in section 9.2.
3.9

Vector movement

FLEET BOOK 1 introduced a vector movement system. This

book does not include any vector movement rules, but you
can still use the older system.

Figure 7: Squadrons turning 1 point to port

Squadron acceleration/deceleration and turning is restricted to that of the ship with the lowest drive rating in
the squadron. Squadrons cannot mix ships with standard
and advanced drives.
Squadrons can be formed or broken at the start of the game
turn, before writing movement orders. (This is necessary
because if the ships in the squadron start moving individually, they will move to slightly different locations than they
would as a squadron, and missile launching players worry
about such things.)
3.7

Collisions

The distances represented by the movements and ranges in

the game are so vast that the risk of an accidental collision
between two ships is incalculably small, and is therefore ignored for all game purposes. (Collisions with asteroids and
other large bodies are possible, see the Terrain section.)
Ships can freely move through both friendly and enemy
ships or fighter groups. If two ship models would actually
be touching at the end of all movement, they should simply be arranged as closely as possible, to the agreement of
both players.
12

Beam Combat

4 Beam Combat
4.1

Fore

Beam weapons

Beams are the primary armament of science fiction warships in FULL THRUST, whether called lasers, phasers,
masers, disruptors, particle beams, turbolasers, CREWS,
etc. Beams travel at lightspeed (although some TV and film
sci-fi beams appear to be slower!) so cannot be dodged, but
as the range increases it becomes more difficult to keep the
beam from spreading and focused onto a precise spot.

Fore
Port

Fore
Starboard

Aft
Port

Aft
Starboard

Aft

Continuous or rapid fire plasma weapons and most fighter

weapons are also treated as beams in FULL THRUST.
Beams are classed numerically. The higher the class, the
longer the effective range and the more damage inflicted
at closer ranges.

Figure 9: Firing Arcs

unable to fire through certain arcs. A given target ship may
only be in one fire arc of the firing ship. (If the line dividing
the arcs passes so nearly through the centre of the target
that it is impossible to determine which arc it is in, then
decide by a random D6 roll, odds = one arc, evens = the
other.)

Class 1 beams, or beam-1, are the shortest ranged and the

least powerful. They are the only armament for the smallest ships, and are able to track rapidly enough to be also
used against missiles and fighters.
Class 2 are medium weapons, the primary armament for
light warships and the secondary for major warships.

Note that it is the centre of the model, or the centre of the

stand if it is mounted on one, that is used to determine the
exact location of the ship itself; all distances and ranges are
similarly measured to and from this centre point. Other
ships do not block lines of fire no ship can hide behind
another.

Class 3 are the largest usually carried by warships with the

longest range. Class 4 beams are occasionally found on
very large vessels, while Class 5 or above are usually restricted to starbases.
The standard symbol for a beam weapon is a circle with the
beam class inside it, segmented to show which arcs (section 4.2) it can fire through.
1

Beam-1
(6 arc)

All weapons that are capable of bearing through more than

one arc have this indicated by putting a ring of segments
around the system symbol, with white segments showing
the arcs that the weapon is permitted to fire through. See
figure 8 for examples.

Beam-3
(F arc)

Weapons or systems that can only bear through one arc

have this indicated by the orientation of the system symbol on the ship diagram ensure that it is pointing clearly
towards the relevant arc. Systems that have no directionality to their symbol, eg PDS, have all-round (6-arc) fire capabilities.

Figure 8: Beam symbols

Each beam on a ship can potentially fire independently of
the others, but the total number of different targets that
can be engaged during one turn of firing depends on the
number of FireCon systems the ship is equipped with, as
explained in 4.4.
4.2

Aft arc
No ship may fire offensive weaponry through its aft arc due
to the interference of the ships main drive, which makes it
impossible to accurately track a distant target through the
rear 60 of the ships arcs.

Fire Arcs

The 360 degree space around each ship is divided into six
arcs, each of 60 degrees. The arcs are indicated in figure 9,
and are designated Fore (F), Fore Starboard (FS), Aft Starboard (AS), Aft (A), Aft Port (AP), and Fore Port (FP). Each
fire arc covers the angle between two of the course facings
used in movement, and can be judged by eye from hexagonal ship bases.

Optional rule: Aft-arc fire is permitted on any game turn in

which the firing ship did not use any thrust from its main
drive to accelerate, decelerate, or change course.
Spinal mounts
Spinal mount weapons are considered to be fore arc
weapons in FULL THRUST. The game turn is long enough
for the ship to make small course adjustments and bring

These fire arcs determine which of a ships weapons may

be brought to bear on a particular target, as some will be
13

Beam Combat

carry a single FireCon as standard, cruisers have two systems, and capital ships have three or more. Merchant ships
may have a single system.

the weapon to bear on any target within the 30 either side

of straight ahead.
Broadside arcs

Individual FireCon systems are not specifically linked to individual weapon systems. If a ship loses one of its FireCons, the remaining ones may still be used to fire any or
all of the ships weaponry.

Some weapons fire through broadside arcs, the two port

and two starboard arcs but not the fore and aft.

Unlike previous editions of FULL THRUST, ship weapons

can also be fired against fighter groups under some conditions: see section 7.4. Each fighter group targeted requires
a FireCon as if it were a ship.

Figure 10: Broadside beam and missile

Point defence fire against fighters or missiles does not require the use of the ships main FireCon systems.
4.3

Range bands

4.5

A range band in FULL THRUST is a minimum and maximum

distance over which a particular weapon type is considered equally effective. Some weapons have only a single
range band, but ship to ship beams have a number of range
bands equal to their class.

A beam weapon rolls a number of dice equal to the class,

minus 1 die for each range band beyond the closest.
Example: A class 3 beam rolls 3 D6 at less than 12 MU, 2 at
12-24 MU, and 1 only at 24-36 MU. At ranges greater than
36 MU the weapon is out of range. A class 1 beam rolls 1 D6
at ranges 0-12 MU, and is out of range beyond 12 MU.

(Range bands are another simplification necessary for a

tabletop game. In reality, the effectiveness of weapons declines gradually over distance instead of suddenly changing.)

For every die rolled, damage is inflicted on an unscreened

target ship as follows:

Each beam range band is 12 MU. The class of a beam is

the number of range bands that it has, so a beam-1 (class
1 beam) has a maximum range of 12 MU, a beam-2 maximum range of 24 MU, and so on.

Every 1,2, or 3 rolled = no effect. (Either a miss or insignificant surface damage.)

Every 4 or 5 rolled = 1 damage point to the target.

The FULL THRUST range of a weapon is not the maximum

range, but the range at which it can be fired with a reasonable chance of hitting and effectively damaging a target. In
space, a scout ship beam-1 can still hit a target at the same
range as a battleship beam-3, but the beam-1 will have dispersed too much to do any actual damage.
4.4

Beam fire

Every 6 rolled = 2 damage points inflicted.

These damage levels can be reduced by the use of screens
or armour on the target ship. (Sections 4.6 and 4.7).
No single weapon may split its die rolls between targets in
any circumstances, eg a beam-3 at close range must roll
all three dice against the same target ship. Two separate
beam-3 weapons may each engage a separate target, provided that two FireCon systems are available.

Fire control systems

The fire control systems (FireCons or FCS) of a ship are

some of its most important fittings. Each FireCon represents a suite of sensor systems and computer facilities to
direct the fire of the ships offensive weaponry. Without
these, ships are unable to locate and track an enemy with
the precision required to fire at it.

Re-rolls
Beam weapons are capable of penetrating damage. Any roll
of six inflicts the usual damage and allows a re-roll: roll an
extra D6, and apply any further damage that is indicated by
the result. The re-rolls ignore any defensive screens or armour and damage is applied directly to the hull. If a re-roll
is also a six, then apply the damage and roll again. There is
no limit to the number of re-rolls you can make if you keep
throwing sixes.

Each FireCon system permits the ship to engage one target during the firing portion of a turn. Thus if a ship has
two FireCon systems operational it can split its fire between two separate targets in one turn if desired; these targets may be in the same or different fire arcs, and fire from
the ships various weapons may be divided in any way between the targets (depending on the arcs through which
each weapon may bear, of course).

Re-rolls are made for a natural (unmodified) 6 only. For

example, if the die roll is modified by +1 then a roll of 5
inflicts 2 damage points as if it were a 6, but does not reroll.

The more FireCon systems a ship has, the more targets it

can engage simultaneously. In general, escort classes each
14

Beam Combat

If the target ship has screens active, then the effects of the
screen are deducted from the initial attack dice as usual (if
applicable) but not from the result of any re-roll dice the
re-roll is assumed to have already penetrated the screen,
and any further damage is applied directly to the ship itself.

which ignores screens, the 4 inflicts 1 damage point and the

6 another 2 for a total of 5.

Re-roll damage is applied to armoured ships in a similar

manner: half any damage from the initial die rolls of an
attack can be taken on armour boxes on the ship, but if a
6 is rolled then any damage caused by the re-roll die(s) is
applied directly to the ships ordinary hull damage track irrespective of whether it still has armour remaining.

Armour is ablative, metal, ceramic, or similar outer layers

that absorb weapons fire but are broken or consumed in
the process. Armour also includes force fields that cant be
recharged in the time frame of a battle.

4.7

Armour is represented as additional damage boxes that absorb hits, indicated on the ship diagram as a row of circles placed above the top row of hull boxes. (Yes, calling
round circles boxes is a little strange, but its traditional.)
As damage is taken, some of the armour boxes are crossed
off on the SSD. There is no threshold roll (see below) made
at the end of the row of armour, but any further damage is
applied to the first row of hull.

Example: A ship fires at an enemy vessel at a range of 18

MU. The firing ship can bring two beams to bear through
the arc containing the target, one beam-3 and one beam-2.
(Whether the ship also carries any beam-1 weapons is not
relevant to this example, since they would be out of range.)
The beam-3 has a firepower of 2 dice at a range of 12-24 and
the beam-2 has 1 die at the same range; thus the firepower
total against the target is 3 dice.

When one ship fires on another, add up the damage

inflicted (except for re-rolls). Up to half this damage,
rounded up, can be taken on armour if available, the rest
is applied to the hull.

Rolling the 3D6, the firing player scores 1, 5, and 6. This

inflicts a total of three points of damage on the target the
1 is a miss, the 5 does 1 point of damage, and the 6 does 2
points and a re-roll. The re-roll is 4, inflicting 1 more point.

In earlier editions of FULL THRUST all the damage from

beams and some other weapons could be taken on armour.
This does not apply in CROSS DIMENSIONS: all weapons are
now armour-piercing.

Note that this example assumes that the target ship does not
have any screens to protect it.
4.6

Armour

Defensive screens

Penetrating damage from re-rolls bypasses armour and is

applied to hull boxes directly, even if there is intact armour
left.

Screens are the primary defence against beam weapons.

Screens are force fields or magnetic fields that deflect or
defocus beam energy, but also include materials that reflect energy, or stealth systems that interfere with beam targeting. Screens can be burnt through, but quickly rebuild
or recharge themselves.

Example: A ship with eight armour boxes and no screen

comes under fire from a battleship rolling ten D6 of beams.
The rolls are 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, a total of 9 damage
points and two re-rolls. The battleship re-rolls are 3, 6, and
then a final 4 for 3 more points.

The actual degree of protection given depends on the level

of screens that the target ship is carrying. Each level is represented on the SSD by a screen generator symbol, so a
ship with level-1 screens would have a single screen generator.

For the 9 initial damage points, half rounded up is 5 so 5

armour boxes are crossed off and 4 applied to the hull. The
3 points of re-roll damage go straight to the hull even though
there are 3 armour boxes remaining, for a total of 4 + 3 = 7
hull damage points from this attack.

If a ship that is protected by screens is fired on by beam

weapons (of any class) the damage inflicted by each die is
varied as follows:

Next turn the battleship fires again with ten dice, inflicting
another 10 damage points. Half this is 5, but there are only 3
armour boxes left, so those are crossed off and the remaining
7 points is applied to the hull.

For level-1 screens, rolls of 5 inflict one point of damage and rolls of 6 do two points. In other words, ignore
any rolls of 4 that would have damaged an unscreened
ship.

4.8

With level-2 screens, rolls of 5 and 6 each inflict only

one point of damage.

Optional rule: rear arc attacks

Spaceships tend to be exceptionally vulnerable to attack

from the rear because the engines are large and difficult
or impossible to protect. Any ship firing from within the
rear arc of the target ship automatically does penetrating
damage, ignoring screens or armour.

Example: A ship fires six dice of beams at an enemy vessel

with level-2 screens. The player rolls 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, and 6.
Against level-2 screens the 4 is a miss and each 6 does only 1
damage point, for a total of 2. The re-rolls are 4 and 6, and
the further re-roll is 3: because this is penetrating damage

This rule does not apply when firing at starbases (section

13.7 or other Really Big Things.
15

Beam Combat

(Missiles or fighters do not benefit from rear arc attacks. At

short ranges the engines of a spaceship emit a considerable amount of energy, enough to melt a missile or fighter
before it can finish an attack.)
4.9

4.10

Rolling dice

We encourage you to roll for all weapon systems of a particular type together and add up the results instead of rolling
weapon by weapon. If a ship is firing two beam-1s, four
beam-2s, and one beam-3 at an enemy ship 9 MU away,
just roll 2 + 8 + 3 = 11 dice at once (provided you have that
many) instead of worrying about which are which.

Threshold points

As a ship takes damage from incoming fire, there is a

chance that some of the ships specific systems (drives,
weapons, etc) will be damaged or destroyed.

To keep track of normal and re-roll damage, we recommend putting all dice in the initial volley that score hits to
one side, then roll new dice for any re-rolls. (And if any of
those are also sixes, roll more dice, ...) At the end you will
have two clumps of dice to add up, the initial damage that
can be absorbed by armour or screens and the penetrating
damage from re-rolls.

To avoid having to roll for possible critical hits every time

damage is inflicted we instead use the idea of threshold
points at which the player will check to see if each system
on the ship is still functioning. A threshold point occurs
each time the accumulated damage points reach (or pass)
the end of one row of hull boxes on the ships damage track.
At this point, the player must roll one D6 for each system
on the ship not already destroyed.

In the same way you should roll as many threshold checks

at once as you can, rather than one by one. If a ship has
three PDS, or FireCons, or similar just roll three dice at
once and cross off the destroyed systems from left to right.

At the first threshold point (the end of the first row of hull
boxes), any system for which a 6 is rolled is knocked out. At
the next threshold point (end of the second row) a system
is lost on a roll of 5 or 6; at the end of the third (if present)
4, 5, or 6. (No threshold checks need to be made at the
end of the last hull row, since the ship is considered to be
destroyed!)

For weapons with limited fire arcs, it does matter if, for example, the port beam is knocked out rather than the starboard. You can still roll for multiple systems at once by
matching the fall of the dice to the symbol positions on
the SSD. If there are three beam-3 symbols arranged left
to right, then roll three dice: the one that lands most to the
left is for the corresponding leftmost symbol, etc.

(Threshold failures occur on high rolls rather than low to

help balance good and bad game outcomes across die rolls,
and to provide extra opportunities for players to grumble
about the iniquities of fate.)

4.11

Introductory scenario

You are now ready to play the introductory scenario. This

is a very simple, quick game designed to allow players to
familiarise themselves with the basic mechanics of movement and combat in the game. The two forces involved
are evenly balanced and the situation is a simple meeting engagement between two fleets. On page 61 you will
find a full set of counters and SSDs to represent the ships
used in the battle, so you can set up and play almost immediately without needing any ship models. All you need
to do is make two copies of that page (one copy for each
player) and fill in names for your ships if you desire. (You
may wish to glue the ship counters onto some heavier card
to stop them moving too easily by accident.) The game is
then ready for play.

If a ship suffers enough damage in a single attack to push it

over more than one threshold check, make only one check
(for the last row destroyed) but add 1 to each die roll for
each extra threshold point passed in that attack. Note that
one attack is defined as the ship being fired on by one
other ship, regardless of how many or few weapons are
fired at it; it also counts as one attack if the ship is under
fire by any number of missiles and/or fighter groups at the
same time.
Example: A ship with 12 hull boxes in four rows of three
takes 7 damage points from another ship in one attack,
crossing off two complete rows. At the end of the second row
systems are normally lost on a roll of 5 or 6, but this time they
will be lost on 4-6. If the ship is fired on again and takes 3
more points of damage, the third row will be crossed off, but
since only one row was lost the threshold rolls will be as normal, 4+.

Each side has the following forces:

Two cruisers, each with a thrust rating of 4, armed with
three class-2 beams, two class-1 beams, and two FireCons,
defended with level-1 screen and grade 3 armour. They
also have two PDS, though these will play no part in this
scenario as there are no fighters or missiles. Each cruiser
has 14 damage points. The SSD for one of these cruisers is
shown in figure 11.

As each system is knocked out as a result of a threshold

point check it is crossed off the diagram, with the exception
of the ships main drive system. When the drive first suffer a
destroyed roll on a threshold check it is reduced to half the
original thrust rating, provided it has a drive rating above
1. If it is then hit a second time on a subsequent threshold check, it is disabled completely. A drive rated only 1 is
immediately disabled by the first threshold failure.

Three frigates. Compare the SSD for a frigate with the

cruiser and note the differences in thrust, number of FireCons and weapons, lack of defences, and fewer hull boxes.
(For the curious, you can find these ships in FLEET BOOK 1.)
16

Beam Combat

Beam-2
(6 arc)

Beam-1
(6 arc)
Beam-2
(3 arc)

Once you have played through this small battle, read the
rest of the rules and then try the same battle again with
some different weapons. Experiment with giving the cruisers a torpedo or missile rack instead of beams, or allow
each side to use a fighter group or two. (Assume the fighters are based at a nearby starbase.)

2
1

1
2

FireCon

Hull boxes

Strange events

The FULL THRUST turn sequence can sometimes lead to unusual events. One example is the fly-by, where two spaceships start the turn out of range, move past each other in
the movement phase, but in the ship fire phase are unable
to shoot because they are now out of range again or each is
in the rear arc of the other.

PDS

Armour

FTL drive

4.12

Screen

The initial reaction from players is always Huh? But we

flew right past each other!

This only happens when ships are moving at very high

speed. The closing velocities of the two ships are enormous, and, importantly, beyond the capability of fire control systems. Each shot in FULL THRUST represents a few
minutes of sustained beam fire or a burst of torpedoes,
which need accurate target tracking and concentration of
fire. A quick snap shot during the few seconds of actual
time in range is incredibly unlikely to do any actual damage.

Main drive Core systems

Figure 11: Cruiser SSD
Setup
With two players, the opposing fleets enter the table from
opposite ends. Roll D6 to see who goes first and take it in
turn to place one ship at a time on the table edge. All ships
have an initial velocity of 6 and course 12 when writing orders for the first turn. Victory goes to the player who survives longest or who persuades the enemy to flee the table.

What has really happened in such cases is that both commanders have failed to correctly anticipate the enemy
movement. Making a high speed strike run against a stationary target is difficult enough; against a moving target it
takes skill and luck to obtain a good (not fleeting) opportunity to fire.

For a solo version, your ships deploy anywhere along one

narrow end of the table, with initial velocity of 6 and course
12. The opposing ships deploy in two line ahead squadrons
at the far right corner of the table with an initial velocity
of 6 and course 1, roughly pointing towards the opposite
diagonal corner. Each turn you write orders for your ships
although there is no opponent to keep them secret from,
its good practise. The opposing ships accelerate by 2 MU
along the same course each turn and fire at the closest ship
within range.

You may not find this convincing. The other explanation

is that no set of game rules is ever perfect. Adding more
and more rules to try and solve rarely occurring problems
would be more trouble than it is worth.

Figure 12: Solo game setup

The battle ends when either the opposing ships fly off the
far edge or you have destroyed them all. You may wish to
fight the solo battle a second time to see if you can improve
your intercept course, for example by attacking from behind.
17

Offensive and Defensive Systems

Neither screens nor advanced screens (below) affect torpedo hits, but advanced screens reduce the damage inflicted by 1 for each level.

5 Offensive and Defensive Systems

This section describes most of the additional offensive and
defensive systems that can be fitted to ships. Missiles and
fighters have their own sections.
5.1

Torpedoes are limited to a maximum of three adjacent firing arcs, or four in a broadside mount (section 4.2). A
torpedo symbol without arcs fires through the fore (F) arc
only.

Grasers

Grasers are more advanced and especially destructive

beam weapons. Like beams, grasers have numeric classes,
although the increasing cost means that class 3 and above
grasers are less common. The symbol for a graser is similar to a beam but with the class rating in white on a black
triangle.

CROSS DIMENSIONS uses a new style of torpedo symbol, a

circle with a star inside. The previous black and white rectangle symbol is still common.

Torpedo classes

The range bands for grasers are 18 MU, not 12, so a class 2
graser rolls 2D6 at 0-18 MU, 1D6 at up to 36 MU.

Torpedoes in CROSS DIMENSIONS now have numeric

classes. The default is 1, which was the only class in the
original edition of FULL THRUST.

Grasers score hits as beam weapons: against unscreened

targets rolls of 4 or 5 inflict 1 hit; rolls of 6 inflict 2. Against
level-1 screens rolls of 4 do no damage, and against level2 screens rolls of 5 or 6 inflict only 1 hit. Grasers are not
penetrating weapons and do not re-roll on a 6.

Each extra class above 1 adds 3 MU to the torpedo range

bands, so a class-2 torpedo hits on a roll of 2 at range 0-9, 3
at range 9-18, and so on up to 6 at range 36-45. The damage
for all classes of torpedo remains at 1D6.

Unlike beams, each hit from a graser inflicts 1D6 of damage

on the target.
5.3
Example: A ship with two graser-1 and two graser-2 mounts
fires at a target with level-1 screen and 24 MU away. The
two graser-1s are out of range (maximum 18 MU) and the
graser-2s get 1D6 each. The player rolls 4 and 6. The 4 is a
miss because the target has a level-1 screen and the 6 scores
two hits but no re-roll. The player now rolls 2D6 for damage,
getting 4 and 3 for a total of 7.

Submunition packs

A submunition pack (SMP) is a single use weapon that fires

a cloud of small projectiles either all at once or in quick
succession against a single target. They are often used to
give smaller ships a cost-effective punch against larger vessels. As the range increases the cloud disperses and the
chance of significant damage becomes lower.

Graser-1s cannot be used for point defence.

5.2

An SMP fires through a single arc only, by default the fore

arc. Once fired, cross the symbol off the SSD and it may not
be used again.

Torpedoes

Torpedoes (pulse torpedoes in previous editions) are railguns, unguided rockets, plasma launchers, and similar
weapons that fire projectiles as single shots or in very short
bursts. As the projectiles are unguided the firing ship must
accurately predict the movement of the target, which becomes more difficult at longer ranges and flight times.
While not travelling at lightspeed the projectiles are too fast
to be shot down, and since they dont need to be focused
the damage remains constant at all ranges.

The maximum range of a submunition pack is 18 MU. The

number of dice rolled depends on the range:

At a range of 0-6 MU, 3D6

At 6-12 MU, 2D6
At 12-18 MU, one D6.

Torpedoes have five range bands, each of 6 MU. Roll 1D6

per torpedo fired and score hits on the following rolls:
Band
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

Range
0-6
6-12
12-18
18-24
24-30

Damage points are scored from these dice rolls just as for
beam weapon fire: 1, 2, 3 = no damage; 4, 5 = 1 damage
point; 6 = 2 damage points and a re-roll.

Score to hit
2+
3+
4+
5+
6

Standard screens do not affect submunition packs. Advanced screens (section 5.7) affect SMPs as if they were
beams: against level-1 advanced screens rolls of 4 do no
damage, against level-2 advanced screens rolls of 5 or 6 do
1 damage point only.

Damage per hit is 1D6, and no re-roll is applied to scores of

6.
18

Offensive and Defensive Systems

5.4

Launching salvo or heavy missiles

Needle weapons

Needles are very accurate beams, precision guided missiles, sabotage drones, or similar sneaky weapons that are
used for sniping to knock out individual systems on the
target vessel.

To avoid the need for record keeping these limitations are

per phase, not per turn, so a FireCon used to launch missiles can also be used to direct other weapons in the ship
fire phase of the same turn.

The maximum range of a needle is 12 MU. Within this

range the firing player may nominate any one specific system on the target, and attempt to kill it with the needle
shot. Once the target is nominated, roll 1D6. On a score of
6, the targeted system is knocked out and 1 damage point
is applied to hull boxes. On a score of 5, the target system is
unaffected but 1 damage point is still inflicted on the hull.
Rolls of 1-4 have no effect.

5.6

The maximum active screen level for any ship is 2. Extra

screen generators may be fitted but will only be useful as
backups should one of the main screens be lost through
damage.
Screens only protect against fire from beams and similar
weapons such as grasers and fighters. Other weapons such
as torpedoes and missiles are able to penetrate screens
with no degradation of their damage effects. See the
description of each individual weapon system type for
whether they are affected by screens.

Needles are penetrating weapons: ignore all screens and

armour.
A functioning FireCon system is necessary to fire a needle
weapon, and may only direct needles at one specific system on the target. If a ship was firing two needles at an
enemy and both were targeted on the enemy drive, then
only the one FireCon would be needed for the two shots.
If however one needle fires at the drive and the other at a
weapon, the firing ship would need two FireCons to make
these attacks.

5.7

Advanced screens

Advanced screens not only protect against beam weapons,

but also against torpedoes, missiles, and other weapons
that normally ignore screens.
Beams, grasers, fighters, and other weapons that are affected by standard screens are affected in the same way
when attacking a ship with advanced screens.

A FireCon that is being used to direct a needle attack may

not be used to fire other weapons at the same time, even if
they are firing at the same target ship.

SMPs and similar weapons that ignore standard screens

and roll a combined hit and damage D6 are affected by advanced screens as if they were beams. Against level-1 advanced screens a roll of 5 inflicts 1 damage point, 6 inflicts
2. Against level-2 advanced screens a roll of 5 or 6 inflicts 1
damage point.

A needle always fires through a single arc, the fore arc by

default.
Note that, as with threshold point damage rolls, a needle hit on a ships drive does not automatically destroy the
drive. The first such hit reduces the ship to half thrust capability, and a second hit knocks the drive out altogether.

Torpedoes, missiles, and other weapons that are unaffected by standard screens and roll one or more D6 for
damage subtract 1 from each damage die against level-1
advanced screens. Against level-2 advanced screens, subtract 2 from each die. (Negative damage is treated as zero:
the target ship cannot regain damage points!)

Needle weapons cannot target a ships Core Systems (section 8.2).

Aiming weapons

A ship cannot be fitted with both advanced and standard

screens, as they are assumed to represent different types of
technology.

Sci-fi commanders are fond of ordering their subordinates

to Target their weapons! FULL THRUST assumes that such
precise shots are usually unlikely or impossible given the
long ranges and high speeds in space combat, not to mention enemy crews who refuse to co-operate and warships
designed not to be rendered helpless by a single shot. Only
needle weapons at short range can achieve such results.
5.5

Defensive screens

As with standard screens, a ship cannot have an advanced

screen level greater than 2, even if it has additional generators.
5.8

FireCon

Shell armour

Shell or layered armour is unusually effective at absorbing damage and is represented by stacked rows of armour
boxes on the ship SSD. The bottom or innermost row (the
only row for standard armour) is layer 1, the next above
that layer 2, and so on.

An operational FireCon is needed for each of the following

in each phase of a turn:
Firing ship weapons (not point defence) at a single
ship or fighter group

When hit by weapon fire, half the damage (rounded up)

can be absorbed by the top layer as usual. Each successive

Firing needle weapons against a single ship system

19

Offensive and Defensive Systems

layer can absorb up to half again of the remaining damage

until the hull is reached.

to be fitted with both types of point defence, only weapons

of one type can be fired in a single turn.

Penetrating damage is still applied directly to the hull, regardless of shell armour.

A scattergun used for point defence rolls as if it were four

PDS.

5.9

Against ships

Stealth

FULL THRUST : CROSS DIMENSIONS does not include any

rules for stealth systems.

Point defence weapons can be fired against ships with a

maximum range of 6 MU, and do not require an operational FireCon to do so.

There is a strong argument that in any kind of hard science

fiction, stealth in space is flatly impossible due to heat radiation.

PDS can only be fired against ships without an operational

screen or any remaining armour boxes undamaged warships are not vulnerable to such light weapons. Scatterguns may not be fired against ships with an operational advanced screen or armour, but are not affected by standard
screens.

In not so hard science fiction, stealth systems that dont

completely hide the ship are represented by screens, or by
ECM systems. Different technology but same effect: the
ship becomes harder to hit or scan.
Stealth systems that completely hide the ship produce uninteresting battles. If the stealth system works, opposing
ships are helpless and will be massacred. (Unless both
sides have stealth, in which case you have a game of hide
and seek in a pitch black sports stadium.) If there is a countermeasure that works and if there is, everyone is going to
learn about it very quickly the stealth system is pointless.

Each PDS rolls only 1D6, with a roll of 6 inflicting 1 DP with

no re-roll. A scattergun rolls four PDS dice.
5.11

An ADFC is an enhanced anti-fighter/anti-missile fire control system that allows a ship to protect other nearby ships
with fire from its own point defence. One ADFC allows the
ships PDS or scatterguns (but not beam-1) to fire at any
combination of threats (fighters, salvo missiles, etc) that
are directly attacking one other ship that is within 6 MU
of the ADFC carrying ship.

If you disagree, you are of course free to write your own

stealth rules one example is given later in this book.
5.10

Area-defence fire control

Point defence

Point defence weapons are designed for shooting down incoming missiles or fighters. See sections 6.2 and 7.6 for details. Point defence fire does not require FireCons.

Ships with multiple ADFCs may divide their fire to protect as many other ships as the number of operational ADFCs, but each weapon may only be fired once per turn.
Weapons used in area defence mode roll dice and score
kills exactly as normal PDS fire.

Point defence systems (PDS) include light beams, autocannon, or countermissile launchers with a large number of
reloads. The more PDS symbols a ship has, the stronger
the point defence.

An ADFC may not be used if the ship launched or recovered any fighters (section 7.1) in the movement phase of
the turn.

Beam-1 systems are dual purpose and can also be used for
point defence. In this role they do not require a FireCon.

An ADFC functions only as an enhanced PDS fire-director

link, and may not be used as a normal fire control.

Point defence weapons can be fired through any arc, including the rear arc even if the ship has used the main drive
in this turn. The ranger is shorter and the missiles or fighters must themselves avoid the energy output of the drive.

5.12

Alien technologies

2 introduced new alien systems for FULL

When using such ships with CROSS DIMENSIONS,
the following changes should be applied:
FLEET BOOK

Scatterguns

THRUST.

A scattergun is any short range projectile PDS usable for

only one turn, such as a one shot canister gun or countermissile launcher with a limited number of reloads. A
scattergun can fire through any arc at a target like other
point defence systems, but once fired must be crossed off
the SSD.

KraVak
Advanced drives are already included in CROSS DIMEN SIONS and do not change.
Kinetic guns (K-guns) are affected by advanced screens.
When rolling to see if damage is doubled, deduct the advanced screen level from the class of the K-gun to give the
final number for the die roll.

A ship cannot be fitted with both PDS and scatterguns, as

they represent different technological or tactical methods
of point defence. (A ship can carry scatterguns and light
beams.) If as an optional rule you do decided to allow ships
20

Offensive and Defensive Systems

Example: A class 5 K-gun hits a ship with 2 levels of advanced screen. On a roll of 1-3 (5 - 2) the damage is doubled
to 10, on a roll of 4-6 the damage stays at 5.
2

MKPs are affected by advanced screens as if they were

beams. Against level-1 advanced screens a 4 is a miss.
Against level-2 advanced screen a 4 is a miss, and a 6 inflicts only 1 hit.

KraVak scatterguns use the rules in CROSS DIMENSIONS,

rolling 4 PDS dice for effect and costing only 4 points. They
cannot automatically be used for area defence of other
ships, so the SiTek escort cruiser or similar ships should
exchange one K-1 gun for an ADFC. KraVak scatterguns no
longer risk damaging friendly ships when used for area defence.

Beams

Grasers

Torpedoes
2

Class 2
torpedo

KraVak fighters pay the extra points for being armed with
kinetic weapons (section 7.10). If you are using the optional fighter morale rules, use the RoKah rules in FLEET
BOOK 2 for KraVak fighters.

SMP

SaVasku
Advanced drives do not change.
Lance pods are affected by advanced screens as if they were
torpedoes or missiles: subtract 1 from the damage per level
of advanced screen.
Leech pods are not affected by advanced screens. They
continue to be non-penetrating against armour.

Needle
beam

Screen

Advanced
screen

Armour

Shell
armour

Interceptor pods roll 4 PDS dice as if they were CROSS DI MENSIONS scatterguns. (And may be used against heavy
missiles.)

PDS

Stingers are equivalent to beam weapons, so now do penetrating damage.

FireCon

Phalons

Old style
torpedo

Scattergun
ADFC

Figure 13: System symbols

Shell armour does not change.

As beam weapons, pulsers inflict penetrating damage
against armour.
KraVak scatterguns and SaVasku interceptor pods, like
other scatterguns, roll 4 PDS dice against plasma bolts.
All screens, standard or advanced, affect plasma bolts.
Subtract the screen level from the damage dice instead of
negating rolls of 5 or 6. A roll of 2 therefore inflicts no damage against a level-2 screen, while a roll of 6 inflicts 5 points
against level-1.

21

Missiles

6 Missiles
Missiles are long range homing weapons with nuclear,
bomb-pumped laser, or simple kinetic warheads. Missiles
are large enough to have very dangerous warheads, but this
also limits the number that can be carried by a ship. The
missiles are slower than beams or torpedoes, so fast target
ships may be able to dodge the missiles entirely and others
use short range point defence weapons to intercept them.
A salvo missile (SM) system fires salvos of anti-ship missiles. Normally there are six missiles in one salvo, either
fired as a cluster, in quick succession from a smaller number of launchers, or as multiple warheads from a single
missile; but can also represent a smaller number of more
powerful warheads with accompanying decoys and jammers. Fleets with lighter or unreliable missiles are assumed
to fire more in each salvo for equivalent effect.

Figure 14: Missile launch

An operational FireCon is necessary to launch heavy missiles, salvo missile racks, or salvo missile launchers (section
5.5).
If after ship movement there is an enemy ship within 6 MU
of the marker (in any direction) then the missile(s) will attack it. If there is more than one potential enemy target
within 6 MU then the missile will go for the closest of them.
Move the missile marker next to the target ship and apply
point defences before resolving missile hits. Note that if
there is no valid target within 6 MU at the end of movement, the missile launch was wasted and the counter removed from play.

Salvo missiles can be fired from a rack, a single salvo

launcher, cluster, or pod that can be used only once; or
from launcher tubes or cells supplied by magazines that
can fire each turn until the supply of missile loads is exhausted.
While each salvo is considered equally dangerous, ships
vary in the number of racks or launchers and the capacity
of magazines.
Heavy missiles are long range homing weapons fired individually, with more powerful warheads and armour or
countermeasures that make them harder to shoot down.
Heavy missiles are always fired from one-shot launcher
racks.
There are two grades of missile available: standard and extended range (ER). Both grades work in the same way, but
the ER missiles have (as their name implies) a greater range
than the standard, and are larger and more expensive.
Missiles in FULL THRUST are not like current day guided or
homing missiles used by ground troops and aircraft, which
by space combat standards are far too short ranged and
cannot change course without atmosphere. The nearest
equivalent today are the anti-ship cruise missiles that are
fired to where the target is expected to be, fly for some time,
and finally search for a target when they arrive in the right
area.
6.1

Figure 15: After movement

Optional If you choose to use vector movement instead of
the standard cinematic movement rules, then we strongly
suggest reducing the attack radius of missiles from 6 MU
to 3 MU this will prevent the missiles becoming too accurate against the more predictable manoeuvre envelope of a
vector movement ship. If a particular scenario calls for the
mixing of vector and cinematic movement ships, then allows missiles to attack if within 6 MU of a cinematic drive
ship but only within 3 MU of a vector drive ship. If you
want to justify this, assume that the cinematic drive movement ships have a higher drive signature for the missiles to
home on than the drives of the vector movement ships.

Launching missiles

Missile launch occurs in the phase before fighter group

movement after orders are written. The firing player announces the launch of a missile or salvo, and places a salvo
counter at the intended point of aim. This may be anywhere up to a maximum range of 24 MU from the firing
ship, or 36 MU for extended range missiles, but must be
within the boundaries of the fire arcs through which the
launcher system may bear. (And not obstructed by any asteroids, planets, or similar obstacles.) The marker is left in
place while all ships are moved.

6.2

Point defence

When resolving missile fire, the defending player must first

decide what defences to allocate against each heavy missile or salvo marker. Once that has been done for all ships,
22

Missiles

actually strike home, the ships captain has to decide how to

allocate defences.

resolve defensive fire as follows:

Against salvo missiles, the defending player rolls per point
defence weapon:

The defender chooses to use the PDS alone against one incoming salvo, and the 2 beam-1 batteries to combine fire
against the second salvo. The attacking player now rolls for
each missile salvo. For the first the roll is 2, but the second is
luckier and rolls 5.

Each PDS rolls a D6, killing one missile on a roll of 4

or 5. Rolls of 6 kill two missiles and re-roll.
Each beam-1 or fighter rolls a D6, killing one missile
on a roll of 5 or 6, with a re-roll on 6.

The first salvo has only two missiles on target, and the defending player rolls the PDS die and gets a 6, thus shooting
them both down. (There would be a re-roll for the six, but
there is no point as both target missiles are already stopped.)
For the second salvo with five missiles incoming, the defender gets to roll 2 dice for the 2 beam-1 batteries, and rolls
a 4 and a 6. The 6 allows a re-roll, but this only gets a 2. So
the defender has killed only one incoming missile from this
salvo of five.

Each scattergun rolls four D6, results as for PDS.

The attacking player then rolls a D6 for each salvo missile
marker. The result is the number of missiles in the salvo
that are actually on target. Subtract the number of missiles killed from the D6 score that the attacker rolled. Any
positive number is the number of missiles that actually get
through the defences and hit the target.

The end result is that four missiles of the second salvo get
past all the defences, and deliver their warheads in a blaze
of energy. A D6 is rolled for each of them, scoring 3, 1, 3,
and 6; missile hits dont re-roll so this gives a grand total
of 13 damage points to the target ship. Enough to cripple
a smaller warship and cause serious harm to even a large
one. If the ship has four boxes of armour, 4 points of damage
will be taken on the armour and the remaining 9 on the hull
boxes.

If defensive fire killed more missiles than were in the salvo

then the extras are overkill, they cannot be allocated to
other salvos or heavy missiles. If there are no defences at all
then at least one missile in a salvo will always get through.
Against heavy missiles:
Each PDS rolls a D6 and kills the missile on a roll of 5
or 6.
Each beam-1 or fighter rolls a D6 and kills the missile
on a roll of 6.

6.4

Each scattergun rolls four D6, results as for PDS.

Heavy missiles and salvo missile racks (SMR) have individual symbols on the ship SSD. Once fired, it is crossed off
and cannot be used again. Each counts as one system for
threshold point checks.

Note that fighters get one roll each in screening groups, so

a full strength group will roll 6 dice. For each salvo or heavy
missile killed by a fighter roll an additional D6: on a roll of 6
the fighter is destroyed as well. (Trying to take out missiles
is a tricky and dangerous job at high speeds and very close
quarters.)
6.3

Mountings and magazines

A salvo missile launcher (SML) may fire one salvo per turn
provided ammunition is left in the magazine. The magazine symbol is a box linked by lines to the SML(s) it feeds.
Each magazine has a mass rating, which determines the
number of salvo loads carried: mass 2 for a standard salvo,
mass 3 for ER. Salvo loads are indicated by small arrowhead symbols within the box which are crossed off as they
are fired. Magazines and launchers are considered separate systems for threshold point checks.

Damage

Each heavy missile inflicts 3D6 of damage on the target.

(As usual, half rounded up can be taken on armour, the remainder on the hull.)
Each missile in a salvo that hits the target ship inflicts 1D6
of damage.

Standard grade heavy missiles, SMRs, and salvo loads are

white; extended range shaded in black. Launchers have
a black arrowhead in the actual launcher symbol, but this
has no bearing on the load carried in the magazine.

Standard screens have no effect on missiles. Advanced

level-1 screens subtract 1 from each damage roll, advanced
level-2 screens subtract 2.

Once fired, racks and magazines are empty until replenished after the battle from a base or fleet auxiliary.

If using the optional rear arc attack rule (section 4.8), missiles do not do penetrating damage.

In general, SMRs tend to be fitted to smaller craft where the

saving in mass is critical (and the ship may well not survive
long enough to fire more than one or two salvoes anyway!),
while SMLs and magazines are used more on larger classes
which need sustained fire capacity. Heavy missiles can be
carried by all classes.

Example: Two missile salvoes are fired at a single target

ship. The ship has the following systems that can defend
it against missile fire: one point defence battery (PDS) and
two beam-1 batteries that can function in a defensive role.
Before the defender knows exactly how many missiles will
23

Missiles

space in the magazine.) If the same ship had two mass

4 magazines, however, carrying any ER salvoes would be
much less efficient as the spare space in each magazine
would be wasted.

Heavy missiles

The ship designs in the fleet books assume standard salvo

loads in the magazines. If you wish to load a ship with ER
salvoes then shade in the required number of salvo symbols and delete any excess if a ship design shows 3 standard salvo symbols in a mass 6 magazine and you wish
to use 2 ER salvoes instead, shade two symbols black and
cross off the third one.

Salvo racks

SML, magazine

6.6

Figure 16: Standard and ER missiles

6.5

Optional: multi-stage missiles

An extra stage for a heavy missile, salvo missile rack, or

salvo missile load increases the mass by 2 and doubles the
points cost. Only standard missiles may be multistage, not
ER; and a magazine may only carry either regular missiles
or multi-stage missiles, not a mixture. The extra stage increases the range by 24 MU and the duration by 1 turn.

Magazine capacity

The mass allocated to magazine space during a ships design stage may be broken down into separate magazines at
the designers discretion, but with the following important
limitation: any one launcher system may only be fed from
one magazine, though a single magazine may feed more
than one launcher. Thus if a ship has 2 SMLs and 8 mass of
magazine space, the designer may decide to fit just a single 8 space magazine feeding both launchers, or could give
each launcher its own 4 space magazine instead, as shown
in figure 17.

On the turn fired, a two stage missile marker is placed between 16 and 24 MU from the launching ship and within
the normal 180 arc for missile launch. The marker itself
has a facing, which must be the nearest clock facing to the
direction from the launching ship to the missile marker.
If no enemy ship is within 6 MU of a missile marker at
the end of ship movement, it is not removed. Instead in
the missile launch phase of the following turn the missile
marker is placed at the intended point of aim, anywhere
from 16 to 24 MU within the 60 front arc of the marker.
Multi-stage missiles only have the full 180 firing arc on
the launch turn, and must always be moved at least 16 MU
each turn.
After ship movement, the missile or salvo then homes in
on the nearest enemy target as usual, or is removed if none
is within 6 MU.
While the missile is in flight the marker may be fired on by
fighters or ADFC.

Figure 17: SMLs and magazines

The disadvantage of the single magazine is that all the missile loads could be lost with one bad threshold roll (as
one magazine is rolled for as a single system, regardless
of its capacity or the number of salvo loads in it); on the
other hand, with two smaller magazines the player does
not have the option to feed missiles to either launcher
if one launcher is lost while it still has missiles in its dedicated magazine, those missiles are useless, they cannot be
fired by another undamaged launcher that was not originally fed from that magazine.
The intended type of load is another factor to consider
when installing missile magazines. In the example above,
the ship with a single mass 8 magazine could choose its
load as 4 standard salvoes, or 1 standard and 2 ER salvoes.
(A 2 standard and 1 ER load is also allowed, but wastes 1
24

Fighters

If using cinematic movement, a fighter group can move

any distance up to the maximum allowed and in any direction, without needing to write orders or record course and
velocity. A fighter group does have a facing, which need not
be the same as the course or direction of movement. Standard fighter groups have a maximum move distance of 24
MU.

7 Fighters
Fighters are small combat craft that are not capable of operating for any time or distance on their own; they are
carried between stars by true starships, either specialised
fighter carriers or some of the larger ship classes. Fighters usually have a pilot and possibly one or two other crew,
but can be remotely controlled drones or fully autonomous
robotic craft with AI pilots.

Players alternate in moving one fighter group each until all

have been moved (if desired), with the player who won initiative for this turn moving second.

Fighters operate in groups of 1 to 6 craft, with each group

moving and firing as a single unit.

Once all ship movement has been made, players have

the option of making a secondary move with any fighter
groups they wish, of up to 12 MU. As with the basic move,
this can be in any direction up to the maximum 12 MU,
even if the group moved its full distance in the primary
move phase. Any fighter group that makes this secondary
move expends 1 CEF.

As fighters are very small craft, it is assumed that they will

carry only a limited amount of fuel, ammunition, and even
life-support for their crew. They will not be capable of
prolonged operation away from their carrier or base, but
rather are launched for a specific mission or attack and
will return quickly to the carrier following completion. The
endurance limit is six Combat Endurance Factors, CEF, per
standard fighter group.
7.1

The secondary move may be used to bring a group into

range of a target that would otherwise have evaded it, or
in some cases to get them out of trouble but it may not be
taken if the group has already been engaged in a dogfight
by another group.

Launch and recovery

Fighter groups may be launched from a carrier in any turn.

A ship that is launching fighters cannot use the main drive
to perform any velocity, course, or facing changes, so need
only write Launch as the movement order for that turn.

Whoever moved first in the main fighter move phase must

also move first in the secondary move phase.
Example: In figure 18 one of player As standard fighter
groups is moved 20 MU in the main fighter movement
phase, being placed in a position that A hopes will allow it
to intercept one of Bs ships. Both A and B now move their
ships in accordance with their orders. Player A sees that the
fighter group is now out of position to attack its intended
target (B having anticipated well and changed course), but
by taking a secondary move with the group then it could either follow its original target or it could move to intercept
the salvo that is attacking As ship. A has a free choice as to
which option to take (if any), but if A chooses to move the
fighter group then 1 turns worth of combat endurance for
the group must be marked off.

Recovery (landing) of fighters back on their carrier is

similar to launching: the carrier must move at a constant course and velocity for that turn. The fighter group
moves into contact with the carrier in the fighter movement phase.
Launching fighters move before all others in that game
turn. The launching group may immediately form a screen
for the carrier, attack other fighters or ships, or carry out
any other normal action. Move distance on the launch turn
is only half normal, representing time lost for successive
launches and/or to form up.

11

10

All carriers are allowed to launch as many groups per turn

as they have operational fighter bays. Fighter recovery is of
necessity a slower process than launching, so any carrier
may only recover fighter groups equal to half its number of
operational bays in any one turn; or one group every other
turn if it has only a single operational bay. Launching and
recovery operations may both be performed by one ship in
the same turn if desired, provided each hangar bay is only
used by a single fighter group.

A ship that launches or recovers fighters cannot use an

ADFC (section 5.11) in that turn.
7.2

Movement

Fighter group movement is performed after both players

have written their ship movement orders, but before the
ships are actually moved.

Figure 18: Fighter Secondary Move

25

Fighters

7.3

one fighter, no re-roll. (Fighters are very difficult to target

with ship weapons, but any hit will be certain to destroy
the fighter.)

Screens and pursuits

Screens
Fighter groups may be assigned as close escorts for larger
ships, specifically to ward off enemy fighter attacks on that
ship. When used in this role, the fighter group is said to
be acting as a fighter screen for the ship it is escorting.
When assigned as a fighter screen, the fighter group must
remain adjacent to the ship it is escorting at all times if
it is moved further away then it has broken off from its escorting duties and no longer functions in a screening role.
A fighter screen (which may be a single group or several)
always moves at the same time as the ship it is screening,
rather than being moved in the normal fighter movement
phase. Screening fighters can exceed the normal fighter
movement allowance if the ship they are screening is moving faster than the fighters could normally move.

After a player has announced fire against a fighter group

but before actually rolling the dice, the fighter group can
choose to evade the attack by spending a CEF. An evade automatically negates the attack and any further ship weapon
fire in that turn. Evading does not cancel any casualties already inflicted.

Fighters may also screen other fighter groups, for example one or more interceptors (7.9) could screen a torpedo
fighter group to protect them from enemy fighters. Fighter
can not screen fighters which are themselves screening. . .

Later in the ship fire phase, the opposing player announces

that the battleship will fire ten of its beam weapons against
the fighter group. This time the fighter group chooses to
spend 1 CEF and evade. The ship weapons automatically
miss (and cannot be fired against another target), but the
group has been forced to expend a CEF.

Example: A fighter group has moved within range for an attack on a battleship. The opposing player announces that a
destroyer 9 MU away will fire two beam-2 weapons against
the group. The fighter group chooses not to evade. Each
beam-2 would normally roll 2D6 at this range, but against
fighters it is always 1D6. The destroyer rolls 4 and 6, killing
one fighter.

Whenever a ship or group that is being escorted by a fighter

screen comes under attack from enemy fighters, the attacking group(s) must engage the screening fighters using
the dogfighting rules instead of attacking the ship in that
turn. Each group of screening fighters must be engaged by
at least one attacking fighter group, but once this condition has been satisfied any further uncommitted attacking
groups may fire on the escorted ship.

Evades must be declared quickly: the fighter group player

can ask How many? but if they reach for a calculator
or otherwise start mumbling and counting, it is too late!
If a player announces ship fire against an already evading fighter group and hence would automatically miss, the
player must be told and can switch targets.

Example: A NAC transport ship is being escorted by a screen

of 3 groups of fighters. 4 groups of ESU fighters move to attack the transport three of them must pair off against
the three groups of screening fighters and engage them in
dogfights, while the fourth is then free to attack the ship directly. The ESU player could prefer to instead allocate all
four groups against the screening fighters (two onto one,
and one each onto the other two) in an attempt to destroy
as many as possible, leaving the transport without fighter
cover for the rest of the game.

Point defence fire cannot be evaded.

7.5

After fighter movement and secondary moves a fighter

group may declare an attack against any ship, missile
marker, or other fighter group within 6 MU and within its
front 180 arc. All fighters in the group must engage the
same target.
Fighters attacking other fighters are dogfighting, fighters
declaring attacks against ships (or starbases, etc) are making an attack run. Any fighters attacking or being attacked
are engaged.

Pursuits
A fighter group that attacked an enemy ship or an enemy
screening fighter group last turn can declare it is pursuing the ship. Like a screening group, the pursuing fighters
move with the ship being pursued in the ship movement
phase even if the distance is greater than the fighter group
normal move.

Attacks are not resolved until after point defence fire (if
any).
7.6

7.4

Target selection

Point defence

Ship fire against fighters

Allocating point defence

In the ship fire phase, fighter groups that are not engaged
(7.5) can be fired at with ship to ship weapons. As with
ships, the fighter group must be in range and firing arc and
each fighter group targeted requires a separate FireCon.

Each point defence system (PDS) or scattergun on a ship

may fire once per turn, either as an anti-fighter or antimissile defence weapon. The defender allocates all point
defence fire against missile and fighter attacks before resolving any.

Ship to ship weapons roll 1D6 only against fighter groups,

regardless of range band or normal damage. A roll of 6 kills
26

Fighters

Ships without ADFC systems may only target fighters (or

missiles) attacking them directly. Ships with ADFC (section 5.11) may provide area defence in support of one other
ship per ADFC carried, dividing their point defence among
ships as desired by the defending player. In either case, the
fighter group targeted must not be engaged by other fighters.

7.7

Attack runs
For each group attacking a ship, roll 1D6 per remaining
fighter in the group. Hits and damage are scored per die
using the same results as beam-1 weapon fire (section 4.5):
fighters are affected by screens, and re-roll for penetrating
damage on 6.

Ships with ADFC may also target unengaged fighter groups

within 6 MU. Each group targeted requires one ADFC.

If using the optional rear arc attack rule (section 4.8), fighters can attack ships from the rear arc, but like missiles gain
no advantage from doing so as it is assumed that they must
avoid being melted by the drive.

Class-1 beams may be allocated for point defence of the

ship itself, provided that they did not fire earlier in the turn.
Beam-1s may not be used for area defence.
Example: In figure 19, ship A is under attack by fighter group
X which is 2 MU away. Fighter group Y could attack ship B
but has chosen not to, and Z is too far away. Ship B is carrying PDS and an ADFC, while ship A has PDS only. Ship A
can engage fighter group X with its own PDS. Ship B can also
engage group X, as although the fighters are more than 6 MU
away, they are currently attacking a ship which is within
ship Bs protective ADFC range of 6 MU; or group Y because
it is within 6 MU. Fighter group Z is safe from point defence
fire.

If a fighter group making an attack run is engaged by other

fighters, the ship attackers have the choice of either breaking off the attack and engaging in a dogfight, or continuing the attack. In the latter case, the intercepting fighter
group fires as if in a dogfight, and the survivors carry out
the attack against the ship.
Dogfights
All fire between fighter groups in a dogfight is considered
simultaneous. Roll 1D6 per fighter and inflict casualties as
for beam-1 fire against an unscreened target: 4 or 5 kills
one fighter, 6 kills two fighters and re-roll.

If one player moves a group into base contact with an enemy group, and the opponent does not wish to engage in
the dogfight, the group may move away provided it has not
already moved that turn. if it does not have a higher speed
(maximum move) the attacking group gets a free round of
attack rolls before contact is broken.

Fighter combat

4 MU

Ships may not fire into a dogfight: the fast action and sensor interference risks too many friendly fire casualties.

5
U

Example: Player A moves a group of 5 fighters into contact with an enemy group of 4 fighters which has already
taken its movement for that turn. As player Bs group cannot evade, it is forced to engage in a dogfight. Player A rolls
5 dice, scoring 2,2,6,4,1 and a re-roll of 3; therefore getting
three kills. (One with the 4, two with the 6.) In retaliation,
player B rolls 4 dice combat in dogfights is simultaneous,
so all four fighters get to engage even though three have been
hit and scores 3,1,5,5 for two kills. (One with each 5.) Both
players now remove the lost fighters, leaving A with three
and B with only one.

Figure 19: Point defence

Point defence fire

For each point defence system:

Multiple group dogfights

A PDS rolls a D6 and kills one fighter on 4 or 5. A 6 kills
two fighters and re-roll.

There will be cases, especially when fighters are screening larger ships, where multiple group dogfight situations
(known to fighter pilots as furballs) may occur. In such
combats, all groups engaged in the dogfight may fire only
once per turn, but may choose to attack just one enemy
group or to split their kills between two or more. If the
player chooses to split fire, the dice are rolled as normal
and the casualties then divided as equally as possible between the relevant groups.

A beam-1 rolls a D6 and kills one fighter on 5 or 6, with

a re-roll on 6.
A scattergun rolls four D6 with results as for PDS.
Wasted shots when point defence kills more fighters than
are in the group may not be reallocated to other groups.
27

Fighters

Interception of missiles

Heavy fighters

A fighter group may attempt to intercept and engage any

missile or salvo that is within 6 MU and front 180 arc of it
at the end of either the fighters main or secondary movement. Simply move the group up to the missile marker. See
section 6.2 for scores required.

Heavy fighters have the same offensive capabilities as normal fighters, but are better protected against attack by armoured hulls, heavier structural components, etc. When
heavy fighters are attacked by PDS point defence fire or
other fighters, rolls of 4 have no effect. Standard fighters
and PDS will therefore inflict only 1 casualty on an original
roll of 5, 2 casualties on a roll of 6 and a re-roll.

Attack or torpedo fighters cannot intercept missiles; neither can any fighter group that has exhausted its combat
endurance.
7.8

Heavy fighters have a maximum move of 18 MU per turn,

with 12 MU secondary.

Endurance
Interceptors

A group will use up 1 CEF each turn it engages in combat,

whether attacking a ship, another fighter group, or missiles. A fighter group also uses 1 CEF every time it makes
a secondary move or evade. Normal movement during the
main fighter movement phase does not consume combat
endurance factors.

The interceptor is a specialised type of fighter with no effective anti-ship capability, but optimised for anti-fighter
performance. Interceptors may only fire against other
fighter groups or missiles, not ships or starbases. When
they make such an attack they may add 1 to all die roll results other than a 6. Thus they kill one normal fighter on a
roll of 3 or 4, two on rolls of 5, and two on rolls of 6 with a
re-roll. Against heavy fighters they would kill one on a roll
of 4, two on rolls of 5, and two on rolls of 6 and re-roll.

When all combat endurance is exhausted, the group may

still move normally (though it may make no secondary
moves) but may not make any attacks. There is no time
limit on a group returning to its carrier after exhausting its
CEF. A group that is engaged in a dogfight by an enemy
group after exhausting its CEF may return fire, but only
scores one kill on rolls of 6.

When themselves attacked, either by fighters or point defence, they take casualties normally.

We recommend recording the remaining combat endurance and the number of fighters left in each group with
two small D6, in different colours, which may be placed either behind or on the stand of the fighter group they relate
to. An alternative to this is to have a single fighter group
roster sheet on a piece of paper, with each group having
two rows of six boxes one row represents the number of
fighters left in the group, and the other the remaining CEF.
7.9

Attack fighters
Attack fighters are really the opposite of interceptors: they
have very little ability to engage other fighters, but carry
increased weaponry loads for anti-ship missions. When in
a dogfight with an enemy fighter group of any kind, attack
fighters only hit and kill opposing fighters with rolls of 6,
which destroy one fighter only and do not re-roll. When
engaging other ships, however, attack fighters add 1 to all
their die rolls other than 6, ie if firing on an unscreened
target ship they would inflict one damage point with rolls
of 3 or 4, and two damage points with 5 or 6.

Specialised types

Fighters are assumed to be good average, basic types

moderately fast, with reasonable anti-ship and anti-fighter
capabilities; an all-round multi-mission type of craft. The
rules that follow modify fighters into rather more specialised or improved types.

Long range fighters

While normal fighters have six combat endurance factors,
a long range group has nine CEFs due to additional fuel
tanks, life support, ammunition, etc.

All fighter groups, regardless of type, have the same mass

and hangar space requirements in the carrier or mothership, and operate under all the normal rules for launching,
recovery, and turn sequence.

Torpedo fighters

Fighter types must be specified before the battle begins in

one-off games. In a campaign the ability to change fighter
types will depend on your chosen replenishment and reequipment rules.

These are a further specialisation of the attack fighter, carrying a heavy single shot anti-ship weapon on each fighter.
Torpedo fighters can also represent Autonomous Kill Vehicles (AKVs) or similar tiny one-shot craft.

Fast fighters

When the group attacks an enemy ship, roll once per

fighter to see how many hits are scored. Each fighter needs
a roll of 4 or more to score a hit, and each hit inflicts damage equal to the die roll. A roll of 1-3 is a miss, but 4 = 4
DP, 5 = 5 DP, and 6 = 6 DP. No re-rolls are made on 6. Standard screens do not protect against torpedo fighters, but

While normal fighters have a movement allowance of 24

MU per turn, fast fighters have more powerful drives giving
them a movement of 36 MU per turn; they still have a limit
of 12 MU for secondary moves.
28

Fighters

etc). On 2-5 the group will be patched up, refuelled, and

rearmed after 1 full turn, so it may re-launch in the second turn after recovery. On a 6, the group makes a crash
turnaround and may re-launch on the turn immediately
following that of recovery.

advanced screens reduce the damage inflicted by 1 point

per level of screen.
The group may only attack once in this manner, and for
simplicity assume that all the fighters in the group will attack the same target at the same time it is not permitted to fire just some of the group and save the others for
a later attack. (Unless of course you wish to agree this between yourselves, and work out the necessary record keeping.) Once the group has expended its torpedoes it may
then only fight in the same limited anti-fighter mode as for
attack fighters (needing rolls of 6 for one kill) and may not
make any further attacks against enemy ships. The torpedo
fighter group is thus very much a one-shot weapon, but a
potentially extremely powerful one.

If depleted groups are combined to make full strength

ones, roll for each partial group and the worst case result
applies to the entire new group.
Morale
A fighter group is a collection of individual pilots and their
craft, and as such is much less predictable in its actions
than a single ship with a captain and crew. If there are only
two fighters left out of a group of six, it is by no means certain that they will press home an attack on a battleship that
is spitting flak at them they may well decide that it is a lot
safer somewhere else!

Torpedo fighters have a maximum move of 18 MU per turn,

with 12 MU secondary.
7.10

Extra capabilities

Any fighter group that has lost one or more members must
roll a D6 before making an attack. If the roll is less than or
equal to the number of fighters remaining in the group, the
attack is carried out; if greater than, they abort this attack
and do not fire. Any group that fails an attack roll is not
considered to have expended combat endurance for that
turn, as they never went through with the attack.

FTL fighters
FTL capable fighters are those which can travel through hyperspace, either by having their own FTL drive or by travelling in close proximity to a larger FTL capable ship. FTL
fighters still require a carrier with hangar space, as they do
not have sufficient fuel or life support for long journeys.
(Unless all the pilots are Jedi Knights.)

KraVak fighters (FLEET BOOK 2) have their own RoKah

morale rules.

FTL fighters can be deployed at the start of the battle anywhere that a normal ship would be allowed or as a screen
for another ship, without needing to launch. If the fleet
is making an FTL entry, fighter groups deploying individually are subject to normal FTL scattering while screening groups stay with the ship being protected. FTL fighter
groups can retreat off table at any time without needing to
re-embark but count as lost if no carrier with sufficient
hangar space for the group also escapes.

Swing role fighters

Fighters which are swing role can have a specialised type
chosen at launch time during the battle from a set of permitted types. Once launched, the group stay as that type
until recovered. A group of swing role fighters has the full
points cost of the most expensive type, plus half the cost of
each extra type.
Example: A fighter group can be launched as standard, interceptor, or attack depending on weapons load and mission
plan. The group costs 24 points for the attack type and 18 2
= 9 for each of the interceptor and standard types, for a total
points cost of 42.

FTL capability can be bought for all types of fighter.

Kinetic fighters
Some species or cultures may use fighters armed with kinetic projectile weaponry instead of the usual beam-like
armament. When attacking ships kinetic fighters ignore
standard screens but do not re-roll on a 6; in dogfights they
have exactly the same behaviour as other fighters including re-rolls on 6 if appropriate.
Kinetic weapon capability can be bought for all types of
fighter, but has no benefit for interceptors or torpedo fighters.
7.11

Optional rules

Re-arming
When a fighter group is recovered by its carrier, roll 1 D6.
On a score of 1, the group may not be re-launched in this
game (severe damage to returning fighters, crew fatigue,
29

Threshold Points

8 Threshold Points
8.1

Damage to systems
Figure 20: Bridge, life support, and power core

The first threshold damage inflicted on a main drive halves

the thrust rating of any drive rated above 1. Drives with
thrust rating 1, or any drive that has already suffered
threshold damage, are reduced to zero.

If using needle weapons, the core systems may not be targeted by these weapons. Needles may only fire at surface
features on the ship such as weapons, sensors, or drives.

Each screen generator on a ship is considered a separate system when checking for system damage at threshold points, and may be knocked out individually either by
threshold damage or needle weapons. If a ship with screen
level-2 has to make a threshold damage check and loses
one of its screen systems, it drops to level-1 screen.

f you do not wish to use the core system rules, simply ignore the systems within the core box on the ship SSDs.
Command bridge

Ships carrying fighter groups have their hangar bays rolled

for just as for any other system. When a fighter bay is
knocked out any fighters still aboard that bay are lost, and
the fighter bay can no longer recover fighters that are in
flight. For example, if a fleet carrier has launched its full
fighter complement and then loses two of its six fighter
bays in a threshold point check, then if all six groups make
it back two of the groups will not be able to land! (Though
the individual fighters may take spaces in other bays available due to losses in other groups basically the loss of a
bay simply reduces the carriers capacity by six individual
fighters.)

If the command bridge takes a hit, then make a further D6

roll immediately. If the roll is 1 to 5, then the ship is out of
control for that number of turns including the remainder
of the current one, until command can be restored through
backup links and secondary command systems. If the roll
is a 6, then the ship is permanently out of control for the
duration of the game.
While a ship is out of control it will continue on its present
course and velocity, and may not fire weapons, launch
fighters, or take any other offensive action. Passive defences (screens, armour) are still operational, though active defences (PDS) are not. Once control is regained after
the number of turns indicated by the die roll or a successful
repair roll, all undamaged systems come back on line.

Weapons carried in a magazine, such as salvo missiles and

mines, roll just once for the magazine rather than each
load. All missiles and mines in a magazine are permanently
destroyed when knocked out and cannot be repaired.

Damage control parties may be used on any turn to try and

restore control, using the rules below (section 8.3).

Heavy missiles and salvo missile racks roll per launcher. If

destroyed, this is permanent and cannot be repaired.
8.2

Life support hit

Core systems

If the life support systems take a hit, then a further D6 roll

is made immediately. The number rolled indicates that
the life support will fail after that number of turns. Damage control parties may be allocated to try and repair the
life support system as for any other system. If life support
fails before being repaired, then the crew must immediately abandon ship or be lost. A ship without life support
becomes a drifting hulk, though it may of course be recovered and repaired after the battle if it survives.

Core systems are optional but recommended.

While weapons, fire control sensors, and screen emitters
are all surface features and thus are very vulnerable to incoming fire, there are certain vital systems that are usually
buried deep within the ships hull. These are the core systems and consist of the Command Bridge (which also includes computer systems, electronics, etc), the Power Core,
and the Life Support System.

Power core hit

These three systems are grouped together on the ship system status display, with a box drawn around them. Whenever the ship reaches a threshold point, the systems within
the core box are each rolled for but subtract 1 from the die
roll thus at the first threshold point, where systems are
lost on rolls of 6 only, the core systems do not need to be
rolled for as the minimum score will be 7. At the second
threshold point, where normal systems go down on rolls of
5 or 6, the core systems are only hit on rolls of 6, and so on
for subsequent threshold points.

If the power core takes a hit, it is damaged and may go critical and explode. It continues to supply power for the ship,
but the safety systems that control it are damaged or destroyed.
At the end of each turn the player must roll a D6: on a 5 or
6, the core explodes and destroys the ship. Damage control parties may be used as normal to try and stabilise the
power core such attempts are made before the roll for explosion for that turn, and success will bring the core back
under control and negate any further effects. (Unless the
core is then damaged again, when the process will repeat.)

The core systems do not need to have mass allocated to

them during ship design: they are assumed to be part of
the essential structure of all ships.
30

Threshold Points

As damage is taken and crew casualties are suffered, CFs

are lost, and the available DCPs are reduced accordingly.
To record this on the ship SSD, dots or stars are placed in
certain boxes on the damage track to denote the points at
which crew factors are lost; a ships current CF (and thus
its current number of DCPs) is the number of dots still remaining in non-destroyed boxes on the damage track.

Each turn, before rolling the die, the player may make a
choice: dump the core or abandon ship.
Dumping the core avoids the risk of explosion, but leaves
the ship without power for anything but emergency life
support. The ship is intact, but unable to do anything further in this battle except continue to drift on its present
vector.

All the designs given in the Fleet Books already have the
CF marked in their damage tracks, but if you are designing a new ship type from scratch then you will need to distribute the CFs correctly through the damage track. To do
this, divide the number of hull boxes the ship has by the
number of crew factors. Round the result up if it is not a
whole number, then count along the damage track until
you reach the number and place the first dot there. Count
the same number again and place the second dot, and so
on. When you reach the end of the damage track, put the
last dot in the last box assume that the last of the crew will
be killed when the ship is finally destroyed, if they havent
abandoned ship by then.

If the player chooses to abandon ship, the ship continues

to drift while still rolling each turn to see if the core explodes in this case, however, the needed number for an
explosion drops by 1 each turn as the core is running out of
control with no-one to damp it down, thus it will explode
eventually and the ship will be lost. A ship that dumps core
will be of no further use for that battle, but may be salvaged
afterwards and its power restored.
8.3

Damage control parties

The number of damage control parties (DCP) a ship has is

proportional to its crew size, which is in turn a function
of ship mass. This assumes that a certain percentage of
the crew is allocated to form damage control teams during
combat. Military ships have one crew factor (CF) for every
20 mass or part thereof, and one DCP per crew factor. Thus
a mass 1-20 ship has one CF and hence 1 DCP, a mass 2140 ship 2 CFs and 2 DCPs, a mass 81-100 ship 5 CFs and 5
DCPs, and so on.

Example: The mass 90 ship above, with 5 CFs, has an average hull integrity and thus has 27 hull boxes (30% of 90),
arranged as 7/7/7/6. Dividing 27 by 5 gives us 5.4, which is
rounded up to 6. The first CF dot will be placed in the sixth
box of the damage track, the second in the twelfth (ie the
fifth box of the second row), the third dot in the 18th box,
the fourth in the 24th box, the fifth and final dot is placed
in the last box on the damage track (the 27th). Each time
the ship takes six points of cumulative damage, it will lose
another CF and thus another DCP.

For merchant and civilian vessels, which usually have

much smaller crews than warships, there will be one CF per
50 mass (or part thereof ) of ship size. How many crewmen
a single CF represents is entirely up to the kind of background you are using, but in the GZG setting assume that
one CF represents about 20 personnel.

8.5

The holds and passenger space are arranged on the ship

SSD as a row of boxes, containing an H or P identifier as appropriate and a number that represents the actual capacity
of the space. The larger spaces are the first to be crossed off
as damage is taken.

A single DCP might therefore be four or five crew, and usually includes medical personnel to assist crew casualties as
well as engineers to patch up equipment.
For ships with multiple DCPs, more than one may be allocated to a single repair job at one time. A system can be
brought back online by rolling a D6 result less than or equal
to the number of DCPs assigned. The maximum number
of DCPs on a single job is three, so the highest chance of
repairing a system is 50% (1-3 on a D6) if three teams are
allocated to it. Note that all teams put on one system in a
single turn make just the one roll.

One of the holds or passenger areas is automatically lost

each time the ships cumulative damage reaches a threshold point. When a hold or passenger space box is crossed
off, any cargo stored in it is assumed lost and any nonevacuated passengers in that area are killed.
Note that specialist areas on other ships may be represented in the same way as cargo and passenger space using
exactly the same rules for survey ships devoted to science,
staff and lab facilities can be represented by boxes marked
S, and naval troop carriers will have T boxes to represent
their troop accommodation.

Example: A mass 90 ship, with 5 CF and thus 5 DCPs available, is trying to repair systems lost at a threshold point. The
player decides to combine 3 DCPs (the maximum allowed
on one job) to try and get a FireCon back online, and use
the other two to attempt to fix a damaged weapon system.
The FireCon will be fixed if the player can roll 1-3, and the
weapon on 1 or 2.
8.4

Cargo and passengers

Crew casualties

For simplicity, assume that crew casualties are proportional to the amount of hull damage suffered by the ship.
31

FTL

If any other ship-sized or larger object, but not fighter

group or missile salvo, is within 6 MU of the actual point
of FTL exit (the point that the ship disappears from the table) then problems may occur.

9 FTL
Faster than light drives

The ship attempting to enter FTL rolls a D6:

The forces generated by FTL drive units are very powerful,

and result in spatial distortions that can be highly dangerous in close proximity to any other mass, including other
ships. Most transitions to and from FTL are therefore made
well out in open space, far from other shipping or planetary bodies. A fleet entering a system by FTL will generally
perform normal space re-entry on the fringes of the system, with the ships of the fleet widely dispersed for safety,
and then assemble into formation before entering the inner system on normal drive.

On a roll of 1, the FTL drive fails to engage. The ship

remains in normal space at its present course and velocity (and completes the current movement).
On a roll of 2 to 4, the ship immediately suffers 1D6 of
damage. Unless the ship is actually destroyed by this
it completes its FTL transition safely. (Any threshold
point checks would be made off table.)
On a roll of 5 or 6, the ship attempting the FTL jump
is completely destroyed. All other ships or starbases
within 6 MU immediately suffer 2D6 damage, and any
fighter group or missile marker within 6 MU is destroyed.

Occasionally, however, it may be either necessary or tactically expedient to run the risk of an FTL transition while
actually engaged with the enemy. Such a dangerous manoeuvre might be a frantic attempt by a threatened ship to
escape from the action, or a surprise attack by dropping
out of FTL directly into combat.

Non-FTL ships being carried by a tug or tender (9.4) or

battle riders carried by a mothership (9.5) also suffer 1D6
damage or are destroyed depending on the FTL entry roll.

Hyper limit
In many science fiction settings decent sized planets or the
local sun have a hyper limit distance within which FTL
travel is not possible. As most of the interesting bits of any
solar system are on or near such planets, or relatively close
to the sun, many battles will take place within the local hyper limit. In such a setting, FTL entry or exit is only permitted by player agreement or scenario design.
9.1

Once a ship has left the table under FTL drive, it may not
return to play at any time during that battle.
9.3

Any ships that are to enter the game by dropping out of FTL
onto the playing area must be noted as such at the start
of the game, giving the number of the game turn in which
they will enter, plus a specified point of entry on the table;
the latter is usually most easily defined as a simple pair of
coordinates measured from one corner of the table. The
player must also note, at the same time, the starting course
and velocity of the ship after its emergence from FTL space.

Advanced FTL drives

Certain ships may be able to enter or leave space very precisely without risk of collisions or scattering. These ships
have advanced FTL drives.
Since this isnt useful in many friendly or competition
games, such ships only have to pay the points cost for standard drives. The player may choose to pay extra points for
advanced FTL capabilities for a one-off battle or tournament, and should always pay the extra points in a campaign.
9.2

FTL entry

When the specified game turn arrives, the player must announce at the start of the turn (after writing of movement
orders) that the ship is making an FTL entry, and place a
counter or other marker at the intended entry point.
In the movement phase, for any ship without an advanced
FTL drive (or without paying points for advanced FTL capability), roll a D12 to give a direction on the course gauge
and a D6 for distance. The marker is then moved in the direction rolled to a distance in MU equal to the D6 roll. The
resulting final location of the marker is the point at which
the actual ship is placed on the table.

FTL exit

If a ship attempts to engage its FTL drive while on the table,

the owning player must note this in movement orders for
that turn. The ship may not apply any thrust in that move,
nor may it use any offensive weaponry or ADFC. (Point defence and screens may continue to be used.) When the
ship is actually moved, the player must announce that the
FTL drive is being warmed up the energy emissions from
the ship will be immediately obvious to enemy sensors.

The FTL entry is the ships movement for that turn, with
velocity being applied from the start of the next.
Example: The two ships in figure 21 attempt FTL entry side
by side. Each rolls for direction and distance of error in their
entry points. Ship A rolls 6 for direction and 4 for distance,
and ship B rolls 10 for direction and 5 for distance.

On the following turn, the ship moves half its current velocity on its present course, then disappears from the playing
area, having gone into FTL space. Note that ships exiting
by FTL are moved after all other ships.

Ships carried by a tug or tender (9.4), battle riders carried

by a mothership (9.5), or FTL-capable fighters screening a
32

FTL

sels, while a tender is more commonly a transport for several smaller ships such as light system defence boats.

Course 10
5 MU

The main use for tugs and tenders will be in campaign

games, for moving system defence ships around the map
and for recovering crippled starships for repair. It is unlikely that a tug or tender would ever be risked in combat,
but of course there is always the possibility of a scenario
concerning the attempted recovery of a damaged ship in a
hostile star system, or a surprise attack on a recovery mission.

Course 6
4 MU

Any ship can be made a tender by having internal bay

space allocated to carry other ships (whether the carried
craft are FTL-capable or not), at the same rate as for carrying fighters and other small craft: every 1.5 mass used for
hangar bay space provides capacity for 1 mass of carried
ship(s). Note that this allows for support and launching facilities, and is thus different from plain cargo space. A ship
with 30 mass devoted to bay space could carry a mass 20
ship, or two mass 10 ships, etc. The points cost of such
space is the same as for other hangar facilities, 3 the total
mass used.

A
Figure 21: FTL Entry
ship (section 7.10) move the same distance and direction
as their ship.
Optional rule: To add extra confusion and danger, if the
distance D6 roll gives a 6, then roll a second D6 and multiply the result by the original roll of 6. This gives a potentially massive error (up to 36 MU) and represents the dangerous inaccuracy of FTL exit if this means a ship appears
off table then that ship is deemed unable to enter the table
during the battle.

Tugs, which are designed to carry other ships by extending their jumpfield around them, require massively overpowered FTL drives. They need a drive equal to 10% of
their mass just to provide their own jump capability, plus
for every 1 additional FTL drive mass they can tow an additional 5 transfer mass of other ships. Thus to tow a ship
of mass 108, the tug would need spare jump drive capacity of mass 22. If the tug itself was a mass 60 ship, it would
need its own mass 6 FTL drive plus the additional 22 so
it would have to devote a total of 28 mass to its jump drive
package.

As with ships leaving the table via FTL, those entering battle also risk damage if they appear too close to another object. Again, the danger radius is 6 MU around the actual
point of appearance; if any ship or other body (not fighters or missiles) is within this distance when the ship enters
normal space, roll a D6 for the ship:

FTL tugs use a modified drive symbol that also displays the
transfer mass capacity.

On a roll of 1 to 5, the ship being rolled for takes damage equal to the dice score.

100

On a roll of 6, roll a second D6 and multiply the result

by the original 6, giving from 6 to 36 points of damage.
Any other ship within 6 MU takes 2D6 damage, and
any fighter group or missile marker is destroyed.

Figure 22: Tug FTL drive

Tugs with standard FTL drives can haul any number of

ships, provided that the total mass does not exceed the
transfer mass capacity of the drive. Tugs with advanced
FTL drives can also combine to haul ships larger than any
individual ship capacity.

Damage from FTL entry or exit cannot be absorbed by

screens or armour. If sufficient damage is inflicted to reach
a threshold point (and the ship remains on the playing
area), roll threshold point checks as usual.
9.4

FTL tugs and tenders

Example: A crippled battleship with mass 120 can be hauled

off table by one tug with a standard FTL transfer mass of 120
or more, or by two tugs with advanced FTL drives of transfer
mass 60 each.

There are times when ships are unable to travel in FTL

drive under their own power, but still must be moved between star systems. Obvious examples are system defence
ships being transferred between duty stations, and starships that have suffered drive damage and loss of FTL capability which can only be repaired at a major naval facility.

9.5

Battle riders and motherships

Some warships are designed as battle riders without an FTL

drive of their own, transported into battle like giant fighters
by motherships.

For jobs such as these, most forces use FTL tugs or tenders.
A tug is normally a ship designed to recover other large ves33

FTL

Jump gates are only found in space, near planets or space

stations, as the equivalents of terrestrial railway stations
or airports. Warships need to be able to go anywhere so
must have FTL drives, but civilian cargo or passengers often just travel between fixed locations. With jump gates,
these ships can avoid the expense and overhead of their
own FTL drive. Even warships may choose to use jump
gates when available to reduce wear and tear on their own
FTL drives and to ensure a more accurate arrival point.

The battle riders are designed in exactly the same way as

other warships, except that they do not pay mass or points
cost for an FTL drive. The mothership is treated as an FTL
tug or tender, paying extra mass and points for internal
bays or an oversized FTL drive.
A fleet with battle riders must deploy the motherships as
well. If the mothership makes an FTL entry, the battleriders
cannot detach and move independently until the next turn.
They start with the velocity and course of the mothership.
Until they detach, only the mothership can be fired at and
battleriders are protected by any mothership screens (but
not armour). Damage received can be applied to either the
mothership or battleriders at the choice of the defending
player. In one-off battles, battleriders are considered casualties at the end of the battle if their motherships have been
destroyed.

Portals can exist anywhere, although some technologies

may require portals to be in space to avoid problems with
atmospheric displacement. A big portal on an enemy
world is a great way to invade without all the bother of
troop transports, so there are good non-technical reasons
to keep the larger models in space. Whether due to technological reasons or simple caution, small portals are far
more common in science fiction than large ones.

The maximum mass for any battle rider is 60, following

the science fiction convention that battle riders are smaller
than the FTL-capable motherships.

Ships that enter or exit normal space through a jump gate

or portal never suffer from direction or distance errors, unlike normal FTL drives.

System defence ships

Where the game rules are identical for both types the term
gate will be used to mean jump gates and portals.

Although most ships in the game are considered capable

of FTL travel between star systems, there are many possible classes of non-FTL capable vessels which operate entirely within a single star system. Typical examples are
in-system freighters, system defence ships, and monitors
(large, low thrust weapon platforms designed for close orbital defence).

In a setting where all FTL travel is through jump gates

or portals, artificial or natural, the FTL drive for starships should be considered as representing the mass required for the sensors, computers, navigation records, special construction, mutated psionic pilots, or whatever else
is needed to locate and use gates and survive the journey.
Representation

Non-FTL ships other than battleriders with a mothership

cannot be part of fleets for one-off battles unless specifically permitted by player agreement or scenario design.
9.6

In game terms a gate is a stationary object represented by

an appropriate model or counter. (This is not to say that
they can never be moved, just that it wont happen within
the time frame of a single battle.)

Jump gates and portals

Jump gates and portals are an alternative to standard FTL

drives. Instead of a ship moving itself with an internal FTL
drive, a stationary external object moves the ship to where
it is going.

The capacity of natural gates is usually very high to unlimited, and the gate itself cannot be destroyed by normal
weapons fire, so no record keeping is necessary.
Artificial gates have a transfer mass, the maximum capacity
or mass that it is capable of handling in one turn. A gate
must also have a certain number of hull boxes to represent
essential control systems and structural elements. Armour,
screens, and weaponry are optional, but even in settings
where attacking gates is not cricket it is sensible to have
at least some protection against accidental damage.

A jump gate is any natural wormhole or artificial construct that provides entry or exit between hyperspace and
normal space at a given point. A ship transfers from normal space to hyperspace through the jump gate, travels for
some time through hyperspace to another jump gate, and
there transfers back to normal space. The two transfers are
not linked: once in hyperspace a ship can change destination, or the ship can use its own FTL drive if it has one
instead of a jump gate at either end.

An artificial jump gate must have an FTL drive, which has

10 transfer mass points for every 1 point of drive mass, and
does not need to include the mass of the jump gate itself. A
jump gate should also have hull boxes equal to at least 10%
of the transfer mass.

A portal, natural or artificial, creates a fixed connection

between two points in normal space, either as a shortcut
through hyperspace or some other dimension, by matter
to energy to matter conversion and transmission, psionic
powers, etc. What distinguishes a portal from a jump gate
is that the transfer is instantaneous or nearly so and cannot
be changed in flight. Natural portals usually connect two
fixed points in space, while artificial portals usually can be
programmed for a specific destination.

An artificial portal should have the FTL drive with mass

equal to the transfer mass of the portal, representing the
(usual) higher cost and more advanced technology.
A gate takes damage in the same way as other ships. For
each 10% of hull boxes marked off the current transfer
34

FTL

mass is reduced in proportion: a jump gate that begins

with a transfer mass of 60 and 6 hull boxes will be reduced
to 50 at 5 hull boxes, 40 at 4, and so on as it takes damage. Whenever a complete row of hull boxes is lost the gate
must make threshold checks as usual for the FTL itself and
other systems.

opposite (3 in the example above) and then moves the distance specified by the velocity order.
If for some reason both ends of the portal are on the playing area, a ship exiting through one and entering again
through the other does so with the same velocity that it entered.

Operation

Battles in hyperspace

Artificial gates must be activated before used. The player

writes an activate order at the beginning of the turn and
announces the activation when ships are moved. The gate
may be used for transfers from the following turn until deactivated again.

FULL THRUST, like a lot of science fiction, assumes a clear

distinction between faster than light travel, which exists
because otherwise it would take years for ships to actually
get anywhere; and normal space where most of the action, including combat, takes place. Modifying the rules
given here to match such a setting is not difficult.

If the gate is under control of the player, usually the case

when the gate is part of the infrastructure for a home system being defended, activation is automatic. If the gate is
not under control and an attacker wishes to activate it to
transfer forces into the system the defender rolls a D6 in
the movement phase:

If you do decide to allow battles at FTL speeds or in hyperspace, the challenge of designing suitable rules and
answering questions such as what happens when a ship
travelling faster than light fires a laser beam? is entirely
yours!

On a roll of 1,2, or 3 the activation is delayed that many

turns.
On a 4, 5, or 6 the activation succeeds straight away.
(This assumes, as is usually the case, that the gate is
part of a general purpose transport network open to
all so the attackers will eventually be able to override
the control system.)
Some gates can be used from any angle, but more commonly they have one entry and exit facing. If this is, for
example, 9 then ships wishing to use the gate to exit the
play area must write an Gate exit order and be on course 9
within 3 MU and within the 60 arc of the entry facing. All
ships entering the gate are placed on the gate marker as
their movement for the turn.

Figure 23: FTL gate approach

At the end of the turn, the transfer takes place. If the transfer mass of the gate exceeds that of the combined ships entering, they all transfer successfully. If the transfer mass
was reduced due to damage or the gate FTL failed a threshold check, roll a die for each ship. On a 1 the ship transferred successfully, on a 2 it manages to back out in time
and remains at the location of the gate with a velocity of
zero, on a 3 or higher it is destroyed.
To enter through a gate, a ship likewise writes an Gate entry
movement order with a velocity up to the maximum rating of its main drive. In the movement phase the entering
ship is placed on the gate with an initial course that is 180
35

Optional Rules

10.2

10 Optional Rules
10.1

Advanced sensors

If not playing an open book game, these optional rules for

more advanced sensors can be used for disclosing information about ship capabilities and status to opponents.

Sensors and ECM

Sensors and ECM allow a basic form of limited intelligence to be brought into the game, to make the initial
fleet dispositions for a battle more interesting and tactically challenging.

Advanced sensor suites are classified as enhanced or superior grade. Enhanced sensors require 2 mass, superior 4.
The points cost is mass 4, so 8 for enhanced and 16 for
superior.

When the opposing forces enter the playing area, the actual
ship models are not placed on the table. Instead, each ship
is represented by a Bogey marker (either a simple counter
or something like a black globe made from a ping-pong
ball or bead). These bogeys represent long range sensor
contacts indicating the presence of a ship, but not revealing its exact type. All that can be deduced about the ship
is its general classification (escort, cruiser, capital, or merchant) from its detectable drive emissions, and the course
and velocity.

Basic sensors immediately illuminate the ship using them

and the scanned ship, so models for both are placed on the
table.
If enhanced or superior active sensors are used, the scanning player also rolls 1 D6. If the ship is using enhanced active sensors use the die score as rolled; for superior sensors
add 2 to the score. The final adjusted score gives a result
from the table below:
1-2: No information disclosed

Each bogey marker should be identified with a code letter

or number, which the owning player must secretly note as
representing one actual ship. The bogeys should also be
marked in some way to show the classification of ship they
are representing. The easiest way to do this is with small
adhesive coloured stickers on the globe bases, using different colours for escorts, cruisers, etc.

3: Mass only of ship disclosed

4: Data on mass, drive, and screen systems (original
values)
5: Data on all onboard systems (original values)
6+: As for 5, plus current damage status and systems
functional, ie all data about vessel

During the opening moves of the game, players write orders and move their bogey markers just as if they were
moving the actual ships. (They must of course remain
within the manoeuvring ability of the ship that each bogey
represents.)

The owner of the scanned vessel must disclose the required

information verbally to the scanning player. The information should only be stated once per successful scanning
attempt it is up to the player to remember and/or note
down information about the opposing ship.

Bogeys may be revealed (positively identified and replaced by the actual ship model) in one of two ways: either
by passive or active sensor scans.

Obviously a degree of trust is necessary here that true information is being given if advanced sensors are being used
in a competitive game we suggest the umpire should check
and relay the information rather than the player.

Passive sensors are carried by all vessels, civil and military.

When any ship comes within 36 MU of an opposing bogey, its passive sensor array can identify the contact firmly:
replace the bogey with the actual ship. (If both ships are
represented by bogey markers, then they are both revealed
simultaneously.)

10.3

Dummy bogeys and weasel boats

These are optional rules for adding extra confusion and

uncertainty to play. With the agreement of both players,
each side may deploy a number of dummy bogey markers alongside the real ones, representing drones equipped
to output the signature of an actual ship and thereby confuse the enemy as to the actual strength and disposition of
the fleet.

All military vessels also carry basic active sensor arrays as

part of their Fire Control Systems. These are longer-ranged
detection systems than the passive sensors, but have the
side effect that when they are operated, the emissions from
them will reveal the identity of the ship making the sensor
scan, as well as the ship being scanned.

Each dummy bogey costs 20 points from the owners fleet

budget, and emits the drive signature of an escort class
ship. It can be moved on the table with the manoeuvring ability of any main drive strength the owner chooses.
The dummy is simply removed from play as soon as it is
scanned, either with active or passive sensors.

The maximum range for active sensor scans is 54 MU. If a

player wishes to use active sensors on a ship, note this in
the orders for that turn. If the ship is still represented by a
bogey at that time, reveal it and announce that it is making
an active scan. A ship may scan one opposing bogey per
operational FireCon each turn. The player chooses which
of the enemy bogeys to scan (of those within 54 MU range)
and these must then be revealed.

The maximum number of dummies that may be employed

in any battle is equal to the number of real ships in the
players forces.
36

Optional Rules

Weasel boats are an alternative to the drone decoys.

These are small manned ships that are equipped with systems designed to emit the signature of a much larger vessel.

10.5

Mines

The mines used in FULL THRUST are actually more like

dormant missiles, small drones equipped with detonation
beam warheads. When a hostile ship (ie one not answering
the correct IFF codes) comes within a certain distance of
the mine the warhead charge will detonate, directing a focused pulse of energy into the target ship in the microseconds before the mine itself is consumed by the blast. If the
resulting beam hits that target, it does similar damage to a
close range hit from a beam weapon.

A weasel decoy system requires 2 mass to emit the signature of an escort or cruiser class, 4 mass to emit the signature of a capital ship. The points cost is mass 4.
While the weasel boat is represented by a bogey marker,
that bogey is labelled as if it were the classification that the
decoy system is emitting. Once it is scanned, the true nature of the ship is revealed. (The system can only confuse
the initial long-range information, not the close in sensors.)

The detection range of a mine is 3 MU. Any enemy vessel

that enters this radius from the mine marker, at any point
during its movement, not just at the end of its move, will
be detected and fired on by the mine. Roll 4D6 and apply damage as for normal beam fire, reducing accordingly
if the target is screened. After a mine has detonated, remove its marker from the table.

The weasel boat can of course manoeuvre as a normal

courier, scout, or whatever class it really is, but remember
to restrict its moves to those possible for what it is acting
as your opponent may become just a little suspicious if a
battleship suddenly makes a four point turn!

Minelaying
10.4

Electronic counter measures

Ships equipped with minelaying systems may deposit
mine markers on the table during their movement phase.
The player must note in the order for that ship that it will
deploy mines in that turn by writing Mine in the order box.

These additional optional rules allow players to use ECM

(Electronic Counter Measures) to jam enemy sensors.
Ships may be fitted with individual ECM packages (to protect that ship only) at a mass requirement of 4 and a points
cost of 16. Alternatively, a ship may be fitted with an
area-effect ECM package that can also protect other nearby
ships against sensor scans, at a mass of 6 and points cost of
24. It should be noted that, in general, area effect ECM is
only fitted to dedicated electronic warfare ships that would
then accompany a flotilla of non-ECM equipped vessels.

Individual mines are carried as loads within a magazine.

Each minelayer system fitted may deploy one mine per
turn, so a ship with two mine systems may drop two markers during its movement, either both at the same spot or at
different points. The mines may be placed anywhere along
the ships course during that movement. Ships dropping
mines are moved first after writing orders, so there can be
no question of a player positioning mines in response to
the enemys movement in that turn.

Individual ECM systems can only jam sensors aimed at the

actual ship carrying the system, while area effect ECM systems can jam sensor scans against any friendly vessel that
is within 12 MU of the ECM ship. While an individual or
area effect ECM system is in active use, the carrying ship
(or any ship covered by the area of jamming effect) also
suffers the jamming effects if it tries to use its own active
sensors to scan an enemy. (The jamming produces a blanket effect that inhibits all active sensor use, friendly and
enemy.) For this reason, it is necessary to note in a ships
orders for a given turn that the ECM is active for that turn
otherwise it is assumed to be switched off.

Each minelayer system carries a number of mines as each

one is deployed, cross out one load on the minelayer magazine symbol.
A mine marker does not become active until the game turn
after the one in which it is deployed. Once placed, the
marker will remain on the table (completely stationary)
until it detonates, or is cleared by a minesweeping system.
Minesweeping

When an active ECM system, individual or area, is protecting a ship, the player owning that ship may make a D6 roll
whenever an enemy tries to scan the ship with active sensors. This die roll is then subtracted from the roll the scanning player makes for sensor results, and the final figure
applied to the sensor table above. Thus jamming is not always effective if a player is using superior sensors (+2)
and rolls a 6 giving a total of 8, while the opposing player
only rolls a 1 for ECM, the final result will be 7; still enough
to reveal everything about the scanned ship.

Just as certain ships may be equipped to lay mines, so others may be provided with systems to clear enemy mines
safely.
To attempt to dispose of a mine marker, the minesweeping ship must have its sweeper system activated by noting
this in its orders for that turn. It must then pass within 3
MU of the mine during the course of its movement, and
at that point 1D6 is rolled. On a score of 1, the mine immediately attacks the minesweeper, detonating and causing damage as normal. On a roll of 2, the mine does not
attack, but is also not disabled; it remain in position and
can attack other ships as normal. On rolls of 3 to 6, the

If a player is trying to make a sensor scan while being effectively jammed by friendly ECM, simply roll twice, subtracting the second roll from the (modified) first roll.
37

Optional Rules

attacking ship can get within 3 MU with a final velocity of

not less than 5 or greater than 7, and on a course between 3
and 5 (using the same 12 as the target ship).

minesweeper system succeeds in disabling the mine safely:

the mine marker is removed from play.
A minesweeper can attempt to dispose of all the mines it
passes within range of in one turn.

This rule is to allow players a little leeway when it comes

to trying to match trajectory but not too much; it will still
be quite difficult to do so unless the ship you are attacking
has very little thrust available to evade with such as if you
have already crippled its drive.

When a ship is using a minesweeping system in active

mode, it may not use any offensive weapon systems in that
same turn; it may use defensive weaponry and any screens
as normal.
10.6

Once you have got your ship into the correct position to be
able to launch a boarding assault, the Marines may cross
between the ships by small assault pods, powered armour
suits, transporter beams, etc.

Ortillery

This is orbital artillery or a planetary bombardment system used for ground support fire from orbiting starships. It
has no function in space combat, and cannot be used as an
anti-ship weapon. (Unless a ship has landed in the target
area. . . ) Effects should be determined by players according
to the ground combat system rules in use.

minelayer

For the size of Marine forces available for boarding actions,

consider the marine detachment to have 1 boarding factor
per crew factor, each boarding factor representing a small
team. (The number of boarding factors is therefore equal
to the number of damage control parties that the ship has.)
If the ship has taken damage, it is safe to assume marine casualties are in proportion to other crew thus the available
boarding factors are always equal to the current number of
crew factors that the ship has left.

minesweeper

The strength of the defenders is determined in the same

way. We assume for simplicity that the same percentage of
the marines is available to defend as for the attackers, as
the rest have probably been seconded to damage control
teams and the like. Anyway, these are only supposed to be
abstract rules!

ortillery
enhanced
sensors

superior
sensors

The defensive strength of a full troopship is increased by

the number of mass allocated to troop holds divided by
4 (rounded down). Carried troops cannot be used for offensive boarding actions due to lack of training and specialised equipment.

cruiser decoy capital decoy

ECM

If the target is a civilian craft, it will be able to muster only

defensive factors equal to half the remaining damage control parties, rounded down this is because a merchant
crew will be much more poorly armed and equipped for
combat. (And remember that civilian ships already have
fewer crew factors than military.)

Area ECM

Figure 24: Optional system symbols

10.7

To resolve the combat between the attacking and defending parties, roll 1 D6 per factor for each side and total their
results. Thus if 4 boarding factors were up against 2 defending factors, the attacker would roll 4 dice and total the
scores while the defender would roll 2 and total them.

Boarding actions

A boarding party is normally composed of part of the Marine contingent from the attacking ship with specialised
equipment.

If either sides total score is more than twice the other

players roll, the higher scoring player has won the action.
If this is not the case, then the action continues with the
lower scoring force losing 1 factor and both sides then
rolling again. (Obviously if this causes one side to lose its
only factor, they have lost.)

To launch a boarding action the attacking ship must first

be brought close to the target vessel, so that it is within 3
MU of it at the end of movement. The attacking ship must
also be travelling at a velocity that is not more than 1 factor different from the velocity of the target ship, and on a
course that is again not more than 1 point different from
the targets course.

Thus in the example above, if the attackers rolled 2,5,1, and

3 for a total of 11; and the defenders were lucky enough to
roll 6 and 6 for a total of 12, the attacking (boarding) side
would lose 1 factor, dropping them to 3. The combat would

Example: If the target ship ends its movement at velocity 6,

on course 4, a boarding attempt could only be made if the
38

Optional Rules

One possibility is to make an extra roll at the same time

as any threshold check, using the normal scores for losing
systems at threshold points, ie 6 the first time, 5 or 6 the
second, etc. If the ship fails this roll then its captain decides
to strike the colours and surrender to the nearest enemy
vessel.

then be rolled for again, but with the 3 attacking factors to

the 2 defending.
The combat continues to be fought in repeated rounds
like this until there is a clear-cut winner who takes or retains control of the ship. If the attacking party loses and is
repulsed, they may return half (rounded up) of their surviving factors (teams) of marines to their own ship. The remainder are assumed captured or killed in the attempted
withdrawal.

Using this rule can result in the surrender of a vessel that

has taken relatively little damage however naval history
is rife with precedents for this where colours were prematurely struck due to damage suffered being grossly overestimated. Players may prefer to roll as if for a core system
check, in which case ships will never surrender on the first
row of damage.

Should the boarding party win the combat, the surviving

defenders are assumed to be locked below decks and a
prize crew will be sent over from the attacking ship to bring
the captured vessel fully under control.

One point must be made here the use of this rule is

strongly dependant on exactly who the two fleets are; for
example, if using the GZG background then it is very unlikely that any human ship would even attempt to surrender to a KraVak or vice-versa, simply because they would
not expect to survive capture.

(It must be noted that all of the boarding action is fought

to a conclusion in the space of one game turn the action
does not carry over several turns.)
Of course, if you want to work out more detailed rules for
boarding that fit more accurately with the troop contingents aboard the ships, feel free to do so. (A hold full of
heavy tanks wont do the defenders much good!) Boarding
actions should be sufficiently uncommon, however, that
the rather abstract system here will suffice in most cases.
10.8

Fleet morale

The question of morale in naval games, whether science

fictional or historical, is always a bit of a problem. Will a
fleet fight to the last ship, or will it turn tail and run (or even
surrender) after relatively few losses?
The answer to this really depends on the kind of scenario
being played, as the reactions of the fleet and its overall
commander will be heavily influenced by what is at stake.
If a force is defending a colony world against an invading
fleet, it may well fight to the death in a desperate attempt
to protect the colony. On the other hand, if it is a meeting
engagement in a relatively unimportant star system, then it
would be quite likely that the admirals on either side would
consider the preservation of their own ships and crew to be
quite a high priority.
If playing a simple engagement (or a competitive game)
then we suggest that the loss of 50% of a players overall force (calculated in mass of ships destroyed) would be
enough to cause the commander to withdraw from battle.
For other games we recommend that the level of losses
to force a withdrawal should be written into the scenario
when it is designed, bearing in mind the story-line being
used.
10.9

Striking the colours

The surrender of an individual ship is a slightly different

matter to the withdrawal of the complete fleet. There are
many possible circumstances where the captain of a ship
may decide that, orders notwithstanding, the survival of
the crew is more important than continuing to fight in a
hopeless situation.
39

Ship Design

Scaling also applies to numbers. Nominally each fighter

group in FULL THRUST has six fighters, but you are free to
declare that each fighter represents 2 or more actual vessels. It is standard in space opera for a single Heroic Good
Guy (of any gender or species) to be worth several of the
multitudes of low quality cannon fodder used by the Evil
Bad Guys. In such a setting fighter groups belonging to
the first side would be just six fighters each, while fighter
groups belonging to the other would represent three dozen
unfortunates whose destiny is to be shot down six at a time!

11 Ship Design
Overview
Most players will probably run their first few games using
just the basic ship types. Sooner or later, however, many
of you will want to start modifying the designs provided, or
else designing your own ships from scratch: experimenting
with different weapons fits, hull sizes, and so on.
Ship design is all about a balance between the three essential factors: mobility, firepower, and protection. Mobility is
represented by the thrust rating available to the ship, firepower by the amount and types of weapons carried, and
protection by the screens and armour used (if any) and the
overall damage points.

Going the other way, FULL THRUST takes a large scale bang
youre dead approach to fighter combat. But you could
easily design various types of fighters as small corvette or
frigate sized ships, each with their own unique combination of thrust, weaponry, and protection. Shorten the game
turn to 5 seconds, add in one or two giant warship models
to fight around, and you have a dramatic dogfight.

The ship design rules detailed in this section are constructed so that every ship has to be a compromise between the three basic factors. Although a near-perfect super fast, ultra heavily armed, and heavily protected ship is
theoretically possible, it will turn out to be so incredibly expensive in points cost that just one will take most of your
fleet budget! Remember that, especially in a campaign, a
ship can only be in one place at one time for most purposes a balanced fleet of lighter craft will be more cost effective than just a few superships.

Really big ships are also found in science fiction, such as

the superdreadnoughts in the Honor Harrington books or
the Super Star Destroyer that Darth Vader uses as his flagship. CROSS DIMENSIONS imposes an upper mass limit on
ships, which would be far too low if mass units represented
a fixed number of tons. Instead you can assume a sliding
scale from perhaps fifty tons per 1 mass for the smallest escorts, increasing to several hundred or even thousands per
1 mass for the largest superdreadnoughts. There are three
reasons for this.

Designing a ship involves two main considerations: the

ships mass, which is a measure of its overall size, and its
point cost.

Firstly, the combat effectiveness of larger ships in FULL

THRUST increases at a faster rate than the mass does, so one
ship of mass 200 is (almost always) superior to two ships of
mass 100. The mass represents weaponry and protection,
not just volume.

The mass of the ship determines its class and how much
in the way of systems (weapons, screens, fighter bays, etc)
can be fitted into the hull.

Secondly, you can always scale everything else around the

really big ships down. The smaller sized combatants in
such a fleet would normally be considered dreadnoughts
themselves, but in a fleet with such monsters (and presumably equally formidable opposition) would be reduced to
the role of escort cruisers.

The cost of the ship is the total of the mass cost, the hull
cost, the drives cost, and the individual costs of all the systems that you decide to install.
11.1

Scale

FULL THRUST is deliberately vague about scales: there is no

exact definition of how many tons a mass unit represents,
or how many kilometres per MU. Ships are defined by their
role: fighter, escort, cruiser, capital, carrier; and the relative
value of their weaponry and protection in abstract mass
units rather than number of turrets or megajoules. FULL
THRUST is intended to be a fairly generic set of rules that
you can adapt to your own setting, so these abstractions
or fudge factors if you prefer are necessary.

Lastly and much less seriously, the really big ships are
usually constructed by megalomaniacal Evil Overlords and
they never work as well as expected, often being destroyed
by nothing more than a puny fighter! The CROSS DIMEN SIONS mass limit represents the actual performance of the
ship, not that promised by the (terrified or over-optimistic)
designers.

For an example, consider fighters. In most science fiction

TV and film these resemble space going versions of current jet fighters, with a pilot and sometimes one or two
other crew. This does not mean that your fighters cannot
be much bigger and with sizeable crews. What matters in
FULL THRUST is how they behave: if they are launched in
swarms from carriers, zip about at speed, are very difficult
to hit with normal ship weapons but easily destroyed, and
attack enemy ships or fighters at very short range; then in
FULL THRUST terms they are fighters.

When designing ships, there is not necessarily a 1:1 match

between FULL THRUST system symbols and individual
weapon systems. For example, a single beam-1 symbol
represents the ability to deliver a certain amount of firepower in all directions, which on all but very small ships
will require more than one actual weapon mount.

Systems

Each beam on a ship SSD can represent an individual

mount, or a battery consisting of a number of projectors
slaved together under a single control system.
40

Ship Design

Ship class
Scout or Courier
Corvette
Frigate
Destroyer
Heavy Destroyer
Light Cruiser
Patrol or Escort Cruiser
Heavy Cruiser
Battlecruiser
Battleship
Heavy Battleship
Dreadnought
Superdreadnought
Escort Carrier
Light Carrier
Heavy Carrier
Attack Carrier

A beam system that is twice as damaging as another but

not longer ranged would be represented by two symbols
instead of one. A powerful alien beam that is also very accurate against fighters would be represented by a graser
symbol for fire against ships and a PDS symbol for use
against fighters.

A broadside symbol can represent an actual turret unable

to fire fore or aft (as seen on the Sulaco); or two weapons,
one on each side, that share a common fire control or ammunition supply; or that the ship is able to roll quickly
enough to combine the fire from two individually weaker
weapons in either direction.

11.2

Mass rating

Abbreviation
SC
CT
FF
DD
DH
CL
CE
CA
BC
BB
BDN
DN
SDN
CVE
CVL
CVH
CVA

Mass
4 - 10
8 - 16
14 - 28
24 - 36
30 - 44
40 - 60
50 - 70
60 - 90
80 - 110
100 - 140
120 - 160
140 - 180
160 - 300
60 - 140
120 - 180
160 - 300
150 - 300

Names
The total mass of a given hull is a representation of the capacity of that hull for outfitting it with drives, weapons, defensive systems, etc. This total mass figure is used to refer
to the size of the ship: a size 24 ship could be fitted with a
maximum of 24 mass of systems.

Historically battlecruiser has been used both for fast,

heavily armed, but lightly protected British and American
ships; and for lighter armed but better protected French
and German ships. In FULL THRUST it is used for ships bigger than heavy cruisers but smaller than most capitals.
Escort cruisers and escort carriers are cruisers or carriers, not escorts. The designation simply indicates that
its primary function is that of supporting (escorting) other
ships rather than independent action.

Note that the mass ratings of systems are abstract figures

used to indicate the required volume, power requirements,
etc rather than being an exact measure of the bulk or
weight of a given system. If you assume that (in a given
background) one mass is equivalent to around 100 tonnes,
then a mass 1 system (such as a point defence installation)
will not necessarily weigh in at 100 tons; it will, however, require 100 tons of hull capacity to mount the system and its
infrastructure, control and power requirements, sensors,
crew, etc.

These names are used in the GZG setting but are not at
all compulsory. Other navies have different ship classifications, for example Escorteur dEscadre or Raketny Kreyser;
or you could adapt aircraft terminology. This is an area
where a little research and imagination can go a long way.
(As a matter of courtesy, you should always be willing to inform your opponents whether a ship is an escort, cruiser,
capital, or carrier.)
Note that if you are using commercial model ships, just
because a manufacturer happens to classify a particular
model in the range as a Destroyer in no way prevents you
calling it a cruiser, or anything else that fits in with your
fleet structure.

Escorts have a maximum mass of 44, cruisers have a maximum mass of 90. Anything over mass 90 is a capital.

If a ship has a mass over 10, it must be even.

System mass
The maximum possible mass for a ship is 300. If you do
decide to design larger ships, consider using the rules for
starbases (section 13.7) with multiple individual sections
and SSDs.

The total mass includes the Core Systems (section 8.2) and
passive sensor arrays (section 10.1). No extra points are
paid for these.
Some systems, eg weaponry, are a fixed mass per system, regardless of the size of the ship on which they are
mounted. Other systems including drives and screens are
a percentage of the total mass, and thus become more expensive as the mass of the ship goes up. (As, of course, does
the cost of the hull itself.)

The table below shows the standard basic ship classifications, along with the accepted designations and a rough
guide to the typical mass ratings of each. These figures are
very loose, as most navies tend to classify ships by function
rather than by tonnage: one fleets destroyer may, in reality, be a bigger and more powerful ship than anothers light
cruiser.

Because they are calculated as percentages of the overall

ship mass, choosing a hull size that is not an exact multiple
41

Ship Design

Example: For a mass 60 ship with hull strengths chosen to be

exact multiples of 10%, a weak hull would be 12 hull boxes
arranged in rows 3/3/3/3; while a strong hull would be 24
hull boxes in rows 6/6/6/6.

of 10 will mean that some system masses may not be whole

numbers. Some of these will be rounded up and some
down: in general terms, decimals of .49 and less should be
rounded down, while those of .5 or higher should round
up.

Each row should be of equal length, but if the number of

hull boxes does not exactly divide by the number of rows
the extra boxes are placed in the upper rows. For a standard
four row design, a ship with just 2 hull boxes has one box in
each of the first two rows and nothing in the last two, and a
ship with 15 boxes has three rows of 4 boxes and one of 3.

For example, if you are building a mass 64 ship then the

10% required for the FTL drive will be 6.4, which will round
down to 6. If the same ships main drive is thrust-4, however, this will take 20% = 12.8 which will round up to 13
mass. In general, most designs will come out about even in
the rounding; occasionally a ship may end up fractionally
better or worse off than another of broadly similar design,
but that shouldnt be a serious problem. Besides, if we dont
give the maximisers and number crunchers something to
work at theyll all get bored!

The points cost of the hull is mass 2.

Advanced hulls

Important: no single system can ever be rounded down to

mass 0. A very tiny ship of (say) mass 4 will still have to
pay 1 mass for an FTL drive, even though 10% for it is only
0.4. Thus the smallest possible FTL-drive ship is actually a
mass 3 scout or courier boat, that will use 1 mass for hull
integrity, 1 mass for FTL drive (the smallest unit available)
and 1 mass for main drive (for which it could get thrust-6).
The boat would be unarmed, and have just 1 damage box.

Some ships have superior construction technology or internal protection and are therefore much more resistant
to the initial effects of damage. Such ships have advanced
hulls with the boxes arranged in three rows, not four. In the
example above a strong hull would still have 24 hull boxes
but arranged in three rows 8/8/8, requiring more damage
to inflict a threshold point check than before but still only
the same amount of total damage to destroy.

The smallest usable combat ship will be around 5 or 6

mass, which will get you a tiny armed scout or light
corvette with only a single fire control and probably only
a single small weapon system, crewed by a handful of very
brave spacers.

The points cost of an advanced hull is mass 3 instead.

11.3

Ships with less than four hull boxes are always considered
standard hulls, not advanced.

Hull strengths

The hull integrity represents the amount of the ships structure that is devoted to reinforcing the basic hull envelope, including bulkheads, compartmentalisation, internal
strengthening, etc. It is entirely separate from the armour
used (if any), which is external protection. It is perfectly
possible to have a ship with a fragile hull structure but lots
of armour and screens: such a ship will be fine until some
damage manages to get through, at which point the hull
integrity will fail very quickly!

Figure 25: Strength 14 standard and advanced hulls

Drives
The FTL drive for interstellar capability requires 10% of the
total mass. Non-FTL ships may only be used in certain scenarios: see section 9.5. Tugs, tenders, and motherships use
more than the standard mass for their FTL drives: see section 9.4.

There are no fixed percentage limits on hull integrity. Ship

designs may have as many or as few hull boxes as the designer wishes, subject only to a lower limit of a minimum of
10% of the total ship mass. The actual number of hull boxes
chosen does not have to exactly equal any given percentage of the ships total mass, but the following terms may be
used to describe the kind of structure a ship has:
Fragile hull
Weak hull
Average hull
Strong hull
Super hull

A standard FTL has cost mass 2. For ships that choose to

pay the extra cost of advanced FTL capability (section 9.1),
the cost increases to mass 3.
The ships main drive requires 5% of total ship mass per
thrust factor. Add the percentages together and then determine the mass required.

10% of total mass

20% of total mass
30% of total mass
40% of total mass
50% of total mass

Example: A cruiser has total mass 64. A main drive rating of

4 would be 20% of 64 = 12.8, rounded up to 13. Main drive
rating 6 would be 30% of 64 = 19.2, rounded down to 19.

The mass used for hull integrity is the number of hull boxes
that the ship has to absorb damage points. For standard
ships, the hull boxes are arranged in four rows to form the
damage track for the ship.

The points cost of the main drive is mass 2 for standard,

mass 3 for advanced. Ships with advanced main drives
never have the choice to turn off advanced capability to
reduce points cost.
42

Ship Design

not divide evenly then the first holds or passenger areas are
the larger ones.

Advanced drives and FTL

Advanced drives or FTL represent new tech levels or different mechanisms, not just that one ship is a bit better
than another. All the ships built by a given species, culture,
or state are expected to have the same kind of main drives
and same kind of FTL. Exceptions can be made when a fleet
has acquired ships from a different source, or is undergoing some kind of major technological transformation.

FTL

4
Main
drive

The space is divided up purely for damage and threshold

point checks, and does not mean that the ship is actually
limited to cargo items that would fit within each individual
hold.
Example: If a freighter has 50 mass of cargo hold space and
a standard hull (four rows), this would be divided into two
holds of mass 13 and two of mass 12.

Advanced
FTL

16

H
24

Figure 27: Fighter bay, ship bay, cargo hold

Advanced
drive

11.4

Systems

Armour

Figure 26: Ship drives and FTL

Armour requires 1 mass per box of protection. The total

number of armour boxes is called the grade.

Atmospheric streamlining

The points cost of standard armour is twice the grade, 2

points per box.

Streamlining allows ships to safely enter a planets atmosphere as described in section 13.9. Partial streamlining
requires 5% of the ships total mass, while full streamlining
requires 10% of the total mass. The points cost of streamlining is 2 points per mass used for the aerodynamics.

For shell armour, the points cost of each box is equal to

standard armour multiplied by the layer number. Each box
in the lowest layer therefore has the same cost as standard
armour; each box in the second layer is 4 points per box,
each box in the third layer 8 points.

Example: To give a mass 50 ship partial streamlining will

use 3 mass and cost an additional 6 points on top of the basic hull cost; to give the same ship full streamlining will use
5 mass and cost 10 points.

Screens
Screens require 5% of the ships mass for a level-1 screen
system (one generator), and 10% for a level-2 screen (two
generators), but with minimum requirement of 3 mass for
level-1 and 6 mass for level-2 screens. Any ship up to mass
60 thus requires 3 mass to install a level-1 screen system,
while larger ships require 5% of their total mass.

Hangar bays
Hangar bays for fighter groups and other small craft have a
mass equal to 1.5 mass of capacity and a points cost three
times the mass. The typical fighter hangar bay has a mass
of 9 (6 fighters at 1 mass each 1.5) and a points cost of 27.
Hangars for other types of craft use a different symbol with
the capacity in mass marked.

The points cost of a screen is mass 3, minimum of 9

points for level-1 and 18 points for level-2.

The points cost for a hangar bay does not include the fighters or craft carried inside.

Advanced screens

Cargo and passengers

Each advanced screen generator requires 7.5% of the ships

mass, minimum 4 mass for level-1 and 8 mass for level-2.
The points cost is mass 4.

Mass devoted to cargo or passenger space costs no additional points during the ship costing procedure, though of
course the actual hull that encloses them is paid for in the
normal way. Each mass factor used provides one factor of
hold space (H) or passenger space (P).

A ship cannot be fitted with both advanced and standard

screens.
FireCons and ADFC

The total amount of cargo or passenger space available on

the ship is divided into separate groups, one for each row of
hull damage boxes, in much the same way as the ships hull
damage boxes are divided into rows. If the number does

A FireCon has a mass of 1 and costs 4 points.

Area-Defence Fire Controls (ADFC) have a mass of 2 and
cost 8 points each.
43

Ship Design

Ships with ADFC systems are usually escort or cruiser sized

in FULL THRUST. Capitals with ADFC are either dedicated
to the area defence role or have unusual backgrounds,
while carriers with ADFC are extremely rare.

Scatterguns
Each scattergun has a mass of 1 and costs 4 points.
Ships cannot be fitted with both PDS and scatterguns.

Beams
Basic mass requirements of a given battery start at 1 for a
class 1, and double for each class increase, so a class 2 requires 2 mass, a class 3 requires 4 mass, a class 4 requires 8
mass, and so on. At 16 mass for a class 5 and 32 for a class
6, these larger systems rapidly become non cost-effective
for most purposes.

Torpedoes
The basic mounting for a class 1 torpedo has a mass of 4
and fires through only 1 arc. The torpedo may be mounted
to traverse through up to two extra adjacent arcs for a maximum total of three, requiring one mass per extra arc; or
through a broadside fire arc, costing 2 extra mass.

Class 1 batteries are automatically capable of all-round (6

arc) fire at their basic mass cost of 1.

Higher class torpedoes double the base mass and extra per
arc for each class increase, so a class 2 torpedo takes 8 mass
and +2 per extra arc (+4 for broadside), a class 3 is 16 mass
and +4 per arc (+8 for broadside) and so on.

Class 2 batteries at their base mass of 2 are capable of 180

traverse, firing through any 3 adjacent arcs, and may be
given full traverse (6 arc) for an additional 50% mass cost
(3 mass rather than 2).

Torpedo points cost is mass 3.

Class 3 batteries and above have only 1 fire arc (60 ) at their
base mass cost. Each additional arc of fire requires 25% of
the base mass per arc covered, so a class 3 covering 3 arcs
would require 4 + 1 + 1 = 6 mass, while a class 4 with the
same traverse would require 8 + 2 + 2 = 12 mass. Arcs must
be adjacent.

Needle weapons
Needle weapons have only 1 fire arc. The mass is 2 and the
cost is 6 points.

Broadside arcs are a special case: class 1 and class 2 beams

with broadside fire arcs have the same mass as all-round 6
arc; class 3 and above beams with broadside fire arcs have
the same mass as 3 arcs.

Submunition pack
A submunition pack has a mass of 1 and fires through only
1 arc. The cost is 3 points.

Beams and all other weapons without 360 traverse must

have their fire arcs chosen when the ship is designed.
Beam points cost is mass 3.

Salvo missiles

Grasers
If salvo missile launchers are fitted to a ship, the launcher
itself takes 3 mass while each salvo load carried in an internal magazine takes up 2 mass for standard missiles or 3
mass for extended range types.

The mass requirement for a class 1 graser are:

Firing through 1 arc: mass 2
Firing through 3 arcs: mass 3

An SMR takes 4 mass for the complete rack including a

standard missile salvo, or 5 mass for a rack with an ER salvo.

Firing through broadside or 6 arcs: mass 4

The points cost of an SMR or SML system is three times the

total mass of launcher and magazine capacity.

A basic class 2 graser has a base mass of 9 and fires through

only 1 arc. Each extra arc requires 3 mass; or 6 mass for a
broadside mounting.

All salvo missile launchers and racks fire either through 3

consecutive arcs or broadside arcs.

A class-3 graser requires 24 mass and +6 per extra arc (+12

for broadside). Each higher class triples the base mass and
doubles the extra per arc.

Heavy missiles

Graser point cost is mass 4.

PDS

Each heavy missile has mass 2 for standard or 3 for extended range. Points cost is mass 3.

Point defence systems have a mass of 1 and cost 3 points

each.

Heavy missile racks also fire either through 3 consecutive

arcs or broadside arcs.
44

Ship Design

11.5

mass), plus a backup armament of 2 beam-1 at 1 mass each.

A single salvo missile launcher is mounted forward, covering the front 3 arcs or 180 zone at 3 mass, with a magazine
holding 3 standard salvoes (3 x 2 = 6 mass). Total offensive
systems mass is 6 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 6 = 26, with all offensive
systems costing mass 3 = 78 points.

Ship design procedure

The easiest way to begin your career as a warship designer

is by taking an existing ship design (the SSD) and modifying it in some way. Ships can be tailored for particular missions by changing the weapons while keeping the original
hull and drives, for instance replacing beams with missiles.
Or you could try reducing the mass spent on weapons and
defences to increase the drive rating and hence agility.

We have 6 mass left for defensive systems to protect the ship:

we decide on an active defence capability of two point defence systems (PDS) at 1 mass each, leaving 4 mass to use
up. We decide to fit a level-1 screen generator for 4 mass.
(5% of 86 = 4.3, rounded down to 4); alternatively, we could
spend this on 4 boxes of hull armour which would be slightly
cheaper. Total defensive systems mass is 6, costing mass 3
= 18 points.

For this example, though, we will dive in and demonstrate

the entire process from beginning to end.
1. Decide on the overall size of your ship, the total mass
rating.
Example: We are building a heavy cruiser , and decide on a
total mass of 86. The basic points cost will be the same, 86
points.

So, the total systems fit for the ship is:

2. Choose the hull integrity for the ship.

Example: We decide to give our heavy cruiser a standard
hull of average strength. This will use up 30% of the total
86 mass, or 26 mass (actually 25.8, rounded up). The points
cost of the hull will be 26 2 = 52. The chosen hull integrity
gives the ship 26 hull boxes that will be arranged in rows of
7/7/6/6.
3. Choose and fit drives to the ship.
An FTL drive to give the ship interstellar capability will require 10% of the total mass.
Decide on the required thrust factor for the ships main
drive, which requires 5% of total ship mass per thrust factor.
Example: Our heavy cruiser needs an FTL drive (8.6,
rounded up to 9); we also decide on thrust-4 for the main
drive, which takes 4 5% = 20% of ship mass (17.2, rounded
down to 17). Total mass of the drive package is thus 26, and
points cost for the drives is 26 2 = 52.

Basic hull
Hull integrity
FTL drive
Main drive thrust-4
sub-totals

86
26
9
17
52

86 pts
52 pts
18 pts
34 pts
190 pts

2 beam-3 (3 arc)
beam-2 (6 arc)
2 beam-1
2 FireCon
SML
magazine (3 loads)
level-1 screen
2 PDS
sub-totals

12
3
2
2
3
6
4
2
34

36 pts
9 pts
6 pts
8 pts
9 pts
18 pts
12 pts
6 pts
104 pts

mass 86

294 pts

Totals

The System Status Display for this ship is figure 28.

We now have a hull with drive systems installed. The total

mass used so far is 26 + 26 = 52, leaving 86 - 52 = 34 for other
systems. The points cost so far is 86 + 52 + 52 = 190.

4. Select the desired mix of offensive and defensive systems

to fit to the ship, according to its intended role. The mass
and points values of the various systems are set out in the
systems table.

3
2

Example: Our heavy cruiser is intended as a multi-role ship,

so we decide on a balanced mix of offensive and defensive
systems to cope with a wide variety of possible threats.
Two standard Fire Control systems use 1 mass each and cost
4 points each. This leaves us 32 mass.

The main offensive punch of the ship will be a mix of beam

batteries and salvo missiles. We decide on two beam-3 batteries each bearing through 3 arcs (fore arc and two side arcs
port and starboard respectively, to give an overlapping coverage), at 6 mass each; one beam-2 with all around fire (3

Figure 28: Heavy cruiser SSD

45

Ship Design

11.6

Optional Systems

Mass and points cost

System

Mass

Basic hull

total mass of ship

Standard integrity
Advanced integrity

10+% of total mass

2
3

Standard drive
Advanced drive

5% total per factor

2
3

FTL drive
Advanced FTL drive

10% total mass

2
3

Partial streamlining
Full streamlining

5% of total mass
10% of total mass

2
2

Cargo/passenger

1 per space

Hangar bay
Hangar bay, standard

1.5 mass carried

9 (space 6 fighters)

3
27

Hull armour, per box

each layer
Screen generator

2
2
3

Advanced screen

5% total mass
minimum 3
7.5%
minimum 4

Points

Mass

Points

Enhanced sensors
Superior sensors

2
4

8
16

Weasel cruiser emitter

Weasel capital emitter

2
4

8
16

ECM system
Area effect ECM

4
6

16
24

Minelayer

6
2

Minesweeper

2
+ 1 per mine
minimum 2
5

Ortillery system

15
9

None

Fighter types
All fighters require 1.5 mass of hangar bay space per fighter.
A standard group has 6 fighters, requiring a mass 9 hangar.
Points costs for fighters are:
Fighter

Fire Control
ADFC

1
2

Beam-1
Beam-2, 3 arc
broadside or 6 arc
Beam-3, 1 arc
extra arc
broadside
Beam-4, 1 arc
extra arc
broadside

1
2
3
4
+1
+2
8
+2
+4

3
6
9
3

Graser-1, 1 arc
3 arc
broadside or 6 arc
Graser-2, 1 arc
extra arc
broadside
Graser-3, 1 arc
extra arc
broadside

2
3
4
9
+3
+6
24
+6
+12

Torpedo, 1 arc
extra arc, max 3
broadside
Each extra class

4
+1
+2
2

Submunition pack
Needle weapon
Point defence system
Scattergun

1
2
1
1

SML
Missile magazine

3 (launcher only)
2 per salvo
3 per ER salvo
4
5
2
3
+2

SMR
extended range
Heavy missile
extended range
Extra missile stage

System

Standard
Fast
Heavy
Interceptor
Attack
Long range
Torpedo

4
8

FTL
Kinetic

Each

Group

3
4
5
3
4
4
6

18
24
30
18
24
24
36

+1
+1

+6
+6

Light vessels
Interface craft, shuttles, etc cost 2 points per mass of craft
and require 1.5 mass of hangar bay space per 1 mass of
craft.

4
4

3
6
3
4
9
3
3
3
6
9
2

46

Special Moves

Any other ship requires two complete turns and can

only tow a single ship.

12 Special Moves
12.1

Thrust 0 drives

If either ship changes velocity or facing during this time

without an exact match by the other ship, or if the target
ship fires any weapon against the other and inflicts at least
one hull box of damage, the link is broken and the procedure must be restarted from the beginning.

Ships with thrust 0 drives, and any asteroids or similar object that have significant movement relative to ships, never
write orders. The controlling player, or scenario designer,
determines the initial position, course, and velocity before
the game begins. Each turn, the ship or asteroid moves
along this predetermined course before all other ships.
12.2

Once linked, the two ships move as if they were in a line

ahead squadron formation. Multiply the mass of the towing ship by its main drive rating: this is the available thrust.
Divide the available thrust by the combined mass of the
linked ships and round down to the nearest whole number: this is the thrust rating of the linked ships.

Rolling ships

Although FULL THRUST makes no attempt to simulate 3dimensional movement or combat, there is one simple rule
addition that we are including here: the ability to roll a ship
180 on its central axis, thus effectively swapping the port
and starboard sides (ie the ship is upside down relative to
the other ships on the table). This manoeuvre can be very
useful when ships start to lose systems due to damage, as
it can allow undamaged weaponry to bear on targets that
would otherwise be on the wrong side of the ship.

(If the thrust rating of the linked ships rounds down to

zero, the tow can still succeed, but the time required will
be many hours or days, outside the time frame of a FULL
THRUST battle.)
Example: A salvage ship with mass 80 and thrust 4 attempts
to tow a dreadnought of mass 160 that has no operational
main drive. It is currently drifting at velocity 3, course 9.
The salvage ship first matches velocity and course within 3
MU, then spends one turn establishing a link. The salvage
ship has mass 80 thrust 4 = 320 available thrust. Dividing
this by the combined mass of 80 + 160 = 240 gives 320 240
= 1.5, thrust rating 1 for the linked ships.

To perform a roll, the player simply writes Roll in the movement orders for that turn; the roll expends 1 thrust factor
which comes off the turning allowance. For example, a
thrust-4 ship, normally capable of 2 points of turn, could
only turn 1 point if it also rolled that move; but would still
be able to use its other two thrust factors to accelerate or
decelerate as normal. The roll then occurs at the start of
the ships movement, and a marker is placed by the model
to indicate its inverted condition. Rolling has no effect on
combat (except that the port batteries now bear to starboard, and vice versa). An inverted ship may roll back upright in any subsequent turn, or may remain inverted as
long as the player wishes.

12.4

Earlier we mentioned ships leaving the edge of the table

or playing area, and thus leaving the battle. However, as
space does not actually have edges, it really should be possible for the entire battle to move off the edge of the playing area and still continue this may happen if both sides
are moving in the same general direction, eg in a pursuit
scenario. If you find that all ships in the action are starting
to get very close to one end or side of the table, it is a simple matter to move every ship and object in play a certain
agreed distance back towards the opposite table edge; effectively you can think of it as extending the playing area
under the ships. (All things are relative, as someone once
said.)

For simplicity of play, rolled ships still have their movement orders written in relation to the actual miniature
rather than their theoretical inverted condition thus an
order written for a port turn will still turn the model to the
left, even though to the inverted ship this would actually be
a starboard turn. Keeping to this convention should avoid
a lot of confusion and arguments.
12.3

Moving table

12.5

Towing ships

Disengaging from battle

If you use the moving table in a game, it will become possible to continue pursuit of a fleeing enemy. Under the normal rules a retreating force simply has to leave the table in
order to break off combat, but with the moving table the
pursuit may go on until one side either catches or outruns
the other.

In normal space, ships can tow other ships.

First the towing ship must match courses. The two ships
must be within 3 MU of each other and either both halted,
or both moving at the same velocity and course facing.
At the start of a turn (before movement phase) where the
two ships have matched courses, the towing ship can begin
establishing a link.

Particularly when playing campaign games, which for obvious reasons are very seldom fought to the death, it is advantageous to be able to disengage from battle if things are
going badly for you saving your remaining ships for the
next engagement can be much more important than going
out in a heroic blaze of glory.

A ship equipped for towing as part of its normal duties

requires one complete turn for each ship.
47

Special Moves

Both players (attacker and target) roll a D6 each, and add

the score to their respective ships thrust ratings. If the attacker ends up with the highest total, the ram is successful.
If the targets total is equal or higher, it has evaded the ramming attempt.

If one player decides to disengage, it is possible to actually play out the full pursuit stage as described above. If,
however, this is felt to be too time consuming, there is an
alternative abstract method that may be used.
The disengaging players ships must all move off the table
via the same table edge; until the last ship has left the table,
the battle will continue as normal. When all the ships are
off the table edge, each player rolls a D6. If one player has
any ship that has a higher thrust than all opposing ships,
then add 2 to the die roll. Eg, if the disengaging player has
some thrust-8 escorts while the opposing fleet has nothing
with a thrust above 6, the former adds 2 to the roll.

When a ram succeeds in making contact, each player rolls

another D6 and multiplies the result by the current (remaining) hull boxes that the ship has. The final result of
this is the number of damage points inflicted on the other
ship as a result of ramming.
Example: A corvette with 2 of its original 3 damage points
left actually succeeds in ramming an undamaged heavy
cruiser with all 16 of its damage points. The corvette player
rolls a 4, which inflicts 8 points of damage on the cruiser.
The cruiser owner rolls a 3, thus doing 48 points to the
corvette. The result is one vaporised corvette, and a badly
damaged cruiser.

If the final total of the player who is trying to disengage is

equal to or higher than their opponents roll, they have successfully disengaged and are safe from pursuit. If, on the
other hand, the opponents roll is higher, then the pursuing player may elect to continue pursuit; in which case the
game continues with a new set-up as a stern chase. The
fleeing player may then attempt the disengagement again
by leaving the opposite edge of the new playing area.
12.6

It will be clear from this example that ramming can be very

deadly when it succeeds, small ships are almost certain to
be destroyed, and even the largest can be crippled. Players who insist on using this tactic in unrealistic circumstances should be penalised in the most effective way possible: dont let them play again.

Docking

Ships may attempt to dock with other ships or with starbases (section 13.7) although this is unlikely during combat. To accomplish a docking, the ships movement orders
must be planned so that it ends up within 3 MU of the target ship/starbase at the end of the turn. If the target is stationary, the ship must also come to a dead stop, otherwise
it must exactly match both course and velocity with the target ship or starbase at the end of the turn. On the following turn, the ship may be taken as docked. One full turn
is also required to cast off and undock again, after which
the ship may manoeuvre as normal.
12.7

Ramming ability
Players may agree that certain scenarios and/or certain
races may make ramming attacks more likely, and hence
reduce this required die roll for them.
Any ship that can automatically attempt to ram should
have an extra cost of at least +1 per mass of the ship,
which represents the difficulty of indoctrinating crews willing to sacrifice their own lives, the cost of a fully automated
ship with remote controls or AI pilot, or the remote hive
mind/queen intelligence controlling expendable beings.

Ramming

Deliberate attempts to ram another ship are possible in

some circumstances, but such suicide attacks should be
rarely attempted crews would not be very keen on officers
who ordered such tactics as a matter of routine! Ramming
is therefore an optional rule.
(Very small ships that ram, such as Autonomous Kill Vehicles with AI pilots, are represented in FULL THRUST by missiles or torpedo fighter groups.)
A player who wishes to attempt a ramming attack writes as
part of movement orders that the ship is going to attempt
to ram, and then rolls a D6 at the end of the movement
phase. Only on a roll of 6 may the ramming attempt proceed.
In order to attempt the ram, the ship must end the movement within 2 MU of the intended target ship (or models
touching in the case of large ship models). Only if you succeed in anticipating the enemy move, and then succeed in
rolling a 6 as explained above, may the actual ram be attempted.
48

Terrain

Sensor scans are also blocked by asteroids. At the start of

the game, some ships may be hidden behind bodies in an
asteroid field; they are represented by bogey markers in the
usual way for unconfirmed contacts, but do not have to be
revealed until an enemy ship comes within scan range and
can get a clear line of sight onto the bogey. (Note that this
blocking applies equally to active scan attempts as to passive.)

13 Terrain
It may sound a bit odd to talk of terrain in a space battle, but if you think about it there are a number of possible
ideas you can use to render certain parts of the table more
difficult, dangerous, or just plain different. The following
suggestions are mostly pure space opera and anyone who
has seen a few episodes of the typical science fiction television show will doubtless be able to think of lots more!
13.1

Damage to asteroids

Asteroids

The normal rules assume that asteroids cannot be destroyed by weapons fire. (Or even by ships impacting with
them.) However, you may give each asteroid a large damage point value (perhaps 50 for a very small chunk, 100 for
a larger one, etc) and then allow players to fire at them.
When an asteroid is reduced to zero damage, it disintegrates into 1D6 smaller chunks, which all move at random
courses and speeds out from the point of destruction. Try
to avoid that lot. . .

Asteroid is used in this section for all asteroids, planetoids,

comets, starbases, orbitals, and all other Really Big Things.
Asteroids can either be stationary, or be thrust 0 objects
with a predetermined course (section 12.1) and velocity.
Ships cannot block line of sight or line of fire, but bodies
such as asteroids do have a significant size in relation to the
playing area and therefore are able to block lines of fire or
sensor detection and pose a collision risk. If you are using
round or spherical objects to represent the asteroids then
it is simple: any line between two ships that crosses any
part of the asteroid is blocked. (Between centre points of
models, remember.)

13.2

Dust or nebulae clouds

These have the following effects:

1. Travel through a cloud is restricted to a maximum safe
velocity of 12; any ship attempting to exceed this in a
cloud will suffer potential damage roll 1 D6 and apply damage as for beam weapons fire. Screens offer no
protection, but armour does.

If, however, you are using irregularly shaped asteroid models, such as foam chunks, then it is necessary to mount
them on bases, perhaps 1 to 6 MU across, depending on
the asteroid size. A line between two ships is then blocked
if it crosses any part of the asteroids base, which solves any
disputes that could be caused by the irregular shape of the
asteroid model itself.

2. Clouds inhibit beam weapons and fire control lockon: when attempting to fire at a ship in a dust cloud,
or if the firing ship is itself in a cloud, roll a D6 after nominating the target. On a roll of 1-3 the dust
has prevented a successful target lock-on and the ship
may not be fired at. On a 4-6 the shot may be fired as
normal, but if using beams or grasers treat the target
as having one screen level higher than normal due to
beam attenuation caused by the dust. (Screen levels
above 2 remain at 2.)

If the line of sight between opposing ships is blocked by an

asteroid, those ships may not fire at each other with any
weapons, or place missiles along that line. Fighters may
still fly around the asteroid to attack as normal.
Example: In figure 29, ship A has a clear line of fire to ship C,
but cannot engage ship B due to the intervening asteroid.

3. Fighters always lock on, but treat the target as having

one screen level higher as for beam weapons.

C
Note that this rule may, if desired, also be used to simulate
the effects of ships operating in the fringes of planetary atmospheres, such as when skimming gas giants.
13.3

Solar flares

Flares may occur at random, perhaps diced for each turn,

if the battle is happening fairly close to a very active star.
They may be assumed to affect the entire table, or just a
specific area as the players desire. Any ship that is caught
in a flare rolls a D6 for each of its FireCons and sensor systems (if the advanced sensor rules are being used), adding
1 to the score per active screen level. On a score of 4+ the
system is undamaged, otherwise it is knocked out as if by a
threshold check.

A
Figure 29: Combat in asteroid field

49

Terrain

13.4

Meteor swarms and debris

These may cover areas of between 6 MU and 12 MU diameter (or other shapes/sizes at players discretion) and may
be stationary on the table or moving in a similar way to the
moving asteroid rules.
Any ship that enters or is hit by such a meteor swarm or debris field has 1 D6 rolled for every full 6 MU of velocity, with
the actual score rolled equalling the (penetrating) damage
sustained. Up to velocity 5 = no damage, 6-11 = 1 D6, 12-17
= 2 D6, etc.

Figure 30: Collision with stationary asteroid

If the asteroid is itself moving, a collision risk can occur under either of these circumstances:

This rule may also cover the effects of the debris in the rings
of a planet such as Saturn, in which case a large arc of it
could be depicted on the table to cause all sorts of problems!
13.5

The movement path of the asteroid brings it into contact with a ship at any point. (This is before the ship
itself has moved, at the beginning of the movement
phase.)

Battle debris

The final position of a ship after making its move is

inside the asteroid.

When a ship is destroyed by enemy fire, ie reduced to zero

damage points or less, it may simply become a drifting
hulk, or it may actually explode into a cloud of debris.

Collisions do not occur if the movement paths of the asteroid and ship merely cross. Use the base or model edges
of the asteroid and the centre point of the ship model to
determine collisions, not the edges of the ship model.

To determine if this happens, note the amount of excess

damage inflicted (over that required to reduce the ship to
zero points) and roll a D6. If the score is less than or equal
to the excess damage then the remains of the ship explode.
For example, if a ship has 2 hull boxes left and suffers a further 5 points of damage, a die roll of 5 - 2 = 3 or less will
cause it to explode.
An exploding ship creates a cloud of debris 2 MU in diameter for an escort, 4 MU for a cruiser, or 6 MU for a capital
ship. The debris cloud exists for only 1 turn after the explosion, during which it moves on the same course and velocity as the ship was travelling at the point of destruction.
In this turn any ship encountering the cloud treats it exactly as for the meteor and debris rules given in the section
above. After the one turn the debris is assumed to have
spread out sufficiently to present little risk to other ships,
and is removed from play.

Figure 31: Moving asteroid collides with ship

These collision rules are simple rather than physically accurate, but do ensure that as the movement of both asteroids and ships is completely predictable, you have only
yourself to blame if you run into one!
To determine if the ship manages to avoid a fatal collision,
subtract the ships total available thrust rating from its current velocity. This number must be equalled or exceeded
by the roll of 1D6 in order for the ship have avoided the
collision.

Depicting spatial phenomena

The various effects suggested above may be represented on
the table by means of pieces of card, cloth, or acetate cut to
the relevant sizes for the affected areas. Meteors and debris
clouds can be depicted by small cork-bark chips or even
gravel spread over the required area. Explosion templates
may be made if desired for destroyed ships, which if suitably graphic (lots of red and orange explosion effects!) can
be very effective.

Example: If a cruiser with a thrust rating of 4 is travelling at

velocity 9 and its movement intersects with an asteroid body,
subtract the thrust (4) from the velocity (9) to give 5. Thus a
5 or 6 must be rolled for the cruiser to evade the asteroid
on a roll of 4 or less, exit one cruiser!

Collisions can occur between ships and asteroids.

If the needed number for avoidance is 1 or less, then the

ship is automatically able to avoid a collision; if the number is greater than 6, then a crash is inevitable.

If the asteroid is stationary ie never changes position on

the playing area then a ship risks collision with the asteroid if its path during the movement phase crosses any edge
of the asteroid.

When any ship, regardless of its class, hits an asteroid, the

ship is completely destroyed. Ramming a billion tons of
rock at any speed is not recommended, even in a superdreadnought!

13.6

Collisions

50

Terrain

13.7

Starbases

A starbase is any space station, habitat, drift, orbital, asteroid base, or other artificial construct large enough to be
treated as terrain rather than a ship. A starbase is always
thrust 0 for movement.

A starbase has one or more sections, each with its own SSD.
For game purposes these are considered to be arranged on
a hexagonal grid with each section having a central point
for determining fire arcs and ranges.

1
4

Figure 33: Starbase combat

Movement and starbases
The mass of a starbase represents only that used for ship
equivalent systems. The true mass would be many times
higher: you cannot use a tow ship or FTL tug to steal a starbase or sections thereof!

While a ship is docked to a starbase the ship may be fired

on as normal unless it is actually docked internally. (Some
very large stations will have bays large enough to take
smaller vessels.) An externally docked ship is, however,
protected by any screen systems that the starbase has while
docked. Whether a ship docked externally to a starbase can
fire any of its own weaponry is up to the players or scenario
designer.

Should a starbase happen to have an FTL drive, the symbol

should be in the innermost or best protected section. Assume that it has enough excess capacity to carry along any
docked ships with it.

Figure 32: Starbase and SSDs

A starbase is the same collision risk as an asteroid. If a collision occurs the ship is destroyed and the nearest starbase
section takes D6 ship hull boxes damage as if it had been
rammed.

(The hex grid is purely to determine spatial relationships,

ie is this bit next to that bit?, and the actual sections can
be any desired shape.)
Each section has at least symbols for core systems and a
hull damage track, plus weapons or defences as appropriate. Non-military starbases should have many small sections to represent their less robust construction.

13.8

Planets

For FULL THRUST purposes a planet includes not just planets but also major moons and even suns at the larger scales:
any stellar body with a significant gravitational effect on
spaceships.

Like asteroids, weapons may not be fired or missiles

launched by ships through the space occupied by a starbase.

In this section we present three different possible systems

for representing planets at varying scales. Pick the one that
best suits your scale or scenario.

Individual sections may fire or be fired at if they have a direct point to point line of sight, or through sections that
have already been destroyed. Interior sections are therefore immune to attack until at least one outer section has
been lost.

Orbital table

In figure 33, the ship and sections 2 and 4 can fire at each
other, but sections 1 and 3 cannot. Sections either have no
drive or a comparatively much smaller drive than a ship, so
are not affected by rear arc firing limitations or vulnerability.

At this scale the table represents an area at a given orbit radius above a planet (plus or minus some distance higher
velocities are lower), with the equatorial orbit path running between the centres of the short edges and a polar orbit across. The planet itself would be underneath the table.

If a section of a starbase is destroyed by a core reactor explosion, all immediately adjacent sections take 3D6 of penetrating damage. If this also destroys those sections, repeat
the process again: this can create the chain reaction of explosions so often seen in sci-fi television and film.

A ship can leave the table at any time to make an orbit

around the planet. When it does so, record the ship velocity, course, and distance from the nearest table corner at
the point of exit. A number of turns later, the ship can enter
again by being placed before orders on the opposite edge
51

Terrain

Enter orbit
velocity 6

at the same velocity and course, and within 6 MU of the

same distance from the diagonally opposite corner edge.

In orbit
24 MU

Exit
Course 11
Velocity 8

Re-entry
Leave orbit
velocity 7+

18-30 MU
Figure 34: Orbital table

Figure 35: Orbiting a planet

Thrust 0 or 1 ships cannot enter until the 5th turn after exiting, thrust 2 to 4 until the 4th, and thrust 5 or greater the
3rd. (This assumes that the ship is making a powered atmosphere skimming circumnavigation rather than a genuine orbit, plus a bit of dramatic license.)

through any arc the firing ship chooses. Missiles home in

on a target chosen by random die roll.
Entering and leaving orbit

Whether fighter groups can orbit is optional but not recommended: making the orbit would consume too much
fuel for such small craft.

If the ship hits the orbital distance at less than the orbital
velocity, it will enter an automatically decaying orbit and
start to enter the atmosphere (section 13.9). If it arrives
with greater than the correct velocity it will ram straight
into the atmosphere in an uncontrolled entry you have
been warned!

Medium scale
At medium scale a planet should be represented on the table by a half sphere, although a plate or disk will suffice.
Decide whether the planet can be landed on or that contact with the planet will be a fatal collision.

If the ship decelerates to less than the orbital velocity, its

orbit will decay and it will start to enter the atmosphere. If
it accelerates to above the orbital velocity it will leave orbit and move normally, in a straight line at the clock face
heading that is the closest tangent to its orbital path.

The edge of the planet is the orbit track and should be

marked with 12 clock face points. The orbit track has an
entry velocity and an orbital speed in clock faces per turn.
A planet may have satellites or starbases in orbit. These
move at the orbit speed of points per turn around the orbit
track, and always face away from the centre of the planet.
A ship enters orbit with any move that intersects the orbit track at the entry velocity and is placed at the nearest
marker point. While in orbit, the ship does not have to have
any course change orders written for it. The player simply
notes that it is in orbit and moves the ship by a number of
points equal to the orbit speed around the track. Any velocity change will cause the ship to leave orbit, either down
or up.

Figure 36: Orbiting starbase

Any ship that suffers a drive or bridge threshold failure
while in orbit must make a second threshold check to stay
in orbit. If this too fails, the ship orbit has decayed and it
enters the atmosphere.

If using cinematic movement, ships in orbit face forward in

the closest course facing to the orbit path at that point. In
vector movement, ships may change facing as usual. Ships
in orbit may fire at any ships outside the orbit track, or at
ships at the point immediately in front or behind.

Large scale

For simplicity we recommend only one ship or starbase

may occupy each marker point, or only ships from the
same side. If you do allow hostile ships within the same
point, they may fire at each other as if at 1 MU range,

These rules are for those who prefer their space battles on a
grand scale with the table representing a significant chunk
or all of an entire solar system.
52

Terrain

intersect the gravity zone of another planet which will

change the course and velocity again clever players may
be able to bounce their ships around like billiard balls.

Represent planets by small disks up to several MU in diameter, much smaller than for medium scale. A planet is surrounded by three concentric gravity zones, each extending
the radius by at least 1 MU. The outer zone is strength 1,
the middle strength 2, and the innermost 4. For large planets increase the radius of the zones; treat a sun as a large
planet with an extra inner zone of strength 8.

13.9

Atmospheric entry

A fully or partially streamlined ship may enter atmosphere

deliberately in order to land on the worlds surface. Alternatively, a ship of any configuration may be forced to enter
atmosphere due to either a decaying orbit or approaching
a planet at too high a velocity.

If the movement path of a ship intersects a gravity zone,

pause the ship in the innermost zone contacted and adjust
the speed and course as follows.
First, determine where the centre of the planet is relative to
the ship.

To make a deliberate safe atmospheric entry, a ship must

first enter orbit as described above and then decelerate to
less than orbital velocity. A fully streamlined (capable of
aerobraking or gliding) ship can land provided it has some
main drive thrust. A partially streamlined ship can land if
it has main drive thrust at least equal to the planet gravity
in Earth Gs; if it has insufficient thrust it will make a crash
landing with the effects being up to the individual scenario.

If the centre is in the fore arc of the ship, add the zone
strength to the ship velocity.
If the centre is in the aft arc, subtract the zone strength
from velocity.
If the centre is in a port or starboard arc, add half the
zone strength to the velocity, and turn the ship towards the centre by a number of points equal to the
strength of the zone.

If any ship without streamlining enters atmosphere, or a

streamlined ship makes an uncontrolled entry, roll a D6
and apply the following modifiers:
If the ship is non-streamlined, add 4.

Original
course

If partially streamlined, no modifier.

New

If fully streamlined, subtract 2.

Add 1 for every 1 point of velocity in excess of entry
orbital velocity.
Add 1 if the ships drive is damaged (half normal
thrust), or add 3 if drive knocked-out.
On a final result of 2 or less, the ship manages to miraculously survive a ballistic entry, and crash-lands on the planetary surface. The chances of survival for crew/passengers
and subsequent events are up to the individual scenario.
On a final score of 3 to 5, the ship burns up in the upper atmosphere, but there is enough time for any interface craft
(shuttles, dropships, etc), fighters, or life pods on board to
launch.

Figure 37: Slingshot around planet

If the ship ends the movement phase in a gravity zone, apply the changes in velocity and course to the start of the
next turn movement instead.

On a final score of 6 or above, the ship burns up and all

crew, passengers, and equipment on board are lost.

A ship that has unused thrust points for changing course

may use them to change the gravity zone turn. In figure 37,
the ship changes course by 2. If it were a ship with thrust
4 drive and had not changed course, it could increase this
up to 4 or decrease it down to none.
The velocity increase may not seem very high, but remember at this scale, the ship must already be moving at considerable speed.
The ship is considered to make a partial orbit within the
zone while changing course, so cannot collide with the
planet or enter another zone even if the straight line path
would indicate otherwise. After leaving it can however
53

No! Not the Nova Cannon!

2D6. At the end of the third turn of movement the nova

reaction exhausts its fuel and burns out the template is
removed from play.

14 No! Not the Nova Cannon!

The intention behind these optional (extremely optional)
rules is to simulate some of the weird and wonderful
weapons seen in television and film that operate with a blatant disregard for the laws of physics and common sense.
As they were never meant to fit in with the basic game system, they can do very strange things to the game balance.
We strongly recommend that these systems are used with
discretion, and then only with the express agreement of all
players. They are not recommended for games where there
is any kind of competitive element in play or in fleet design.

Damage from a nova cannon is penetrating damage: neither type of screen nor armour has any effect.
14.2

The wave gun is a smaller and slightly less over-the-top

variant on the nova cannon. The system fires a plasma
charge that expands as it travels along its line of flight,
causing damage to any vessels in its path.

Please note that were not telling you not to use any or all
of these systems if you wish. Just be aware that their indiscriminate use may throw up anomalies in the game, and
you should be prepared to deal with these as you see fit.
14.1

Wave gun

As with the nova cannon, the wave gun may fire only along
the main axis of the carrying ship, ie in a straight line bearing directly forward along the ships current course. The
ship may not fire any other weaponry in the turn that it
fires the wave gun, and also counts as unscreened through
its entire frontal arc while the weapon is being fired.

Spinal mount nova cannon

The wave gun needs to be charged prior to firing. Each

turn that the player orders the weapon to charge, roll one
D6 and write the result down; when the accumulated rolls
reach six or more the weapon is fully charged and may then
be fired on any turn. Firing the wave gun totally discharges
the capacitors, which must then recharge from zero again.
Note that a ship fitted with a wave gun may apply thrust
or change course in the same turn that it fires the weapon,
unlike the nova cannon.

This is probably the single most deadly system available;

however it does have its disadvantages as well by all
means experiment with fitting one to your largest ships,
but dont say we didnt warn you!
The nova cannon is a massive weapon that can only be
mounted in the spinal core of a capital ship, and fires only
directly forward not just through the fore arc, but actually on the centreline of the ship only. In other words, the
weapon fires in whatever direction the ships bow is pointing.

Unlike the nova cannon, the wave gun burst has a life of
only one turn. Its full range is 36 MU. Over the first 12 MU,
move a 2 MU diameter template along the line of fire, at 1224 MU the template expands to 3 MU diameter, and then
from 24-36 MU it expands again to 4 MU diameter. This
all happens in the one turn, after which the template is removed. Any ship touched by the template during its flight
suffers damage: 4D6 at 0-12 MU range, 3D6 at 12-24 MU
and 2D6 at 24-36 MU.

Firing a nova cannon draws a massive amount of power

from the ships power plant. On the turn it is to be fired, the
player must note this in orders for that ship, and the ship
may not expend any other power at all for that turn: it may
not apply any thrust to accelerate or manoeuvre, may not
fire any other weapons, and even its screens do not function for that turn! If the nova cannon is then not fired that
turn, for any reason, then its arming is lost and it must be
re-armed the next turn the player wishes to use it.

Advanced screens affect wave gun damage rolls, but

against standard screens or armour the damage is penetrating.

When the cannon actually fires, it launches a round of

compressed plasma in a containment field and a nuclear
or antimatter explosive core. The projectile is hurled out to
6 MU in front of the ship (its minimum arming distance)
and the core is detonated, with the field holding the contents long enough for it to form a self-sustaining reaction,
like a miniature sun.

If the wave gun is knocked out by a threshold roll or a

needle beam hit while it is charging or charged, the carrying ship suffers damage equal to the current charge in the
weapons capacitors.
14.3

Place a 2 MU diameter template at the arming point (6 MU

from the ships bow) and then move the template 18 MU
outward along the line of flight. Any and all ships or other
objects that are contacted by the template during its flight
immediately suffer 6D6 of damage! At the end of its total
24 MU move, the template is left in place on the table. On
the next turn, at the start of the firing phase, the 2 MU template is replaced by a 4 MU one, which is then moved 24
MU along its original course. Anything hit by this new template is subject to 4D6 of damage. Finally, on the third turn,
the 4 MU template is replaced by a 6 MU one which is then
moved another 24 MU, damage from this template being

Reflex field

The reflex field is a variation on conventional screen technology in that it protects its carrying ship (partially) against
attack from energy weapons such as standard beam batteries. The interesting aspect of the reflex field is that it has the
capability to actually return some or all of the attacking
beam energy back to its source, causing damage to the firing vessel! Energy weapon includes beams, grasers, fighters, and any other weapon affected by standard screens.
This nasty little device may be activated in any desired
turn, but it must be written in the carrying ships orders
54

No! Not the Nova Cannon!

After the required number of turns in cloak have elapsed,

the player returns to the cloaking marker and proceeds to
plot out all the moves written for the ship while cloaked,
finally placing the ship wherever it actually ends up. Properly planned it will still be on the table, if not it may well be
halfway into the next room!

that the field device is to be activated. On any turn that

the player does not order the field to be in use, assume it
is turned off. The opposing player is not told of the fields
status until the ship is fired upon, by which time it may be
too late.
If the reflex field is activated, the carrying ship may not use
any weaponry of its own that turn, thought it may move
and manoeuvre normally. Other specialised actions, eg
launching or recovering fighters, are also prohibited while
the field is active.

Of course, the player has an advantage over the imagined

captain of the cloaked ship, in being able to see the flow
of the battle and write orders accordingly however this
is balanced somewhat by having to specify in advance the
number of turns in cloak, to prevent ships choosing to decloak just because a juicy target has wandered into range.

When a ship with an operating reflex field is fired on by energy weapons, roll for hits and damage in the normal way.
Now the player owning the target ship tells the attacker that
the ship has an active field, and rolls 1 D6.

This is just a rough idea for the system, and it may be

tinkered with as much as you like in multiplayer games
where each participant has only one ship, it may be interesting to try sending the player out of the room for the
turns the ship is cloaked so he or she really has no idea
what is going on!

On a roll of 1 the field has no effect: full damage is applied to the target ship as normal.
On a 2 the field stops some damage: the target receives
only half the normal damage, rounded up.

Mass and points cost

On rolls of 3 or 4, the field absorbs all the damage and

none is applied to the target.
On a 5, no damage is applied to the target, but half
(rounded up) is reflected back to the firing ship.
On a 6, the field reflects the full damage back to the
firer!
If a fighter group attacks a ship with an active reflex field,
roll a single D6 for the entire group after rolling fighter attack damage. Rolls of 1-4 have the effect described above.
On a roll of 5 or 6, each fighter that inflicts any damage is
destroyed by the reflected energy.
14.4

Cloaking field

System

Mass

Nova cannon

20

60

Wave gun

12

36

Reflex field

10% total mass

minimum 10

Cloaking field

10% total mass

minimum 2

10

Nova cannon

Cloaking fields are systems that render ships totally invisible and undetectable on all forms of sensors and visual scanning. They are thus very useful under certain circumstances, but they have one big disadvantage as well:
though the cloaked ship cannot be seen, it also cannot see
out. While the cloak is active it is in its own little world, with
no interface to outside reality. (A bit like some gamers. . . )

Points

Wave gun

Reflex field Cloaking device

Figure 38: SSD symbols

The cloaked ship is thus reduced to navigating inertially,

based on the data it had when entering cloaking mode
it has no idea what is going on around it until it decloaks
again. The suggested way of simulating this is that when a
ship wishes to cloak the player must note this in orders
for that turn, and the number of turns the ship is to remain cloaked, eg 3 turns. At the start of its movement for
that turn, the ship model is removed from the table and a
marker of some kind is placed to mark its location on entering cloaked mode. This marker then remains stationary
until the ship decloaks, when it can be removed. For each
turn the ship is in cloaked mode, the player writes movement orders for it exactly as normal, although of course
nothing is placed on the table to indicate its movement.
55

Battles and Campaigns

15.2

15 Battles and Campaigns

Ship designs for competitive tournaments need to be controlled, for instance by restricting players to only designs
given in the FULL THRUST fleet books, with no modifications, changes in weapons, etc. (Players can of course use
their own ship models even if they dont resemble the official designs.) This should give a game where the tactics
of play decide the victor, rather than who can stretch the
design rules to the furthest limit!

Space battles may be fought in a vacuum, but the commanders will still have some purpose or objective in mind.
Once you are familiar with the rules, we strongly recommend the use of terrain and planets to make the games
more interesting, and scenarios with objectives other than
a simple beat up the enemy.
15.1

Tournament fleets

Deployment
An even more limiting but quite useful idea is to actually
give each player a fixed, identical force that way you are
really finding out who is the better tactician (or just luckiest with the dice). This method can be effectively used for
enter on the day competitions where players do not have
to bring their own fleets along, but use one provided by the
organisers.

A conventional if uninspiring way to begin the battle is with

fleets at opposite short ends of the table in a meeting engagement. Players alternate in placing one ship at a time
within 6 MU of their table edge (or two to four ships at a
time for large battles) with any desired course and an initial velocity.

Fleets should be kept fairly small to allow games to be

played to completion in a reasonable time. The ideal size
is probably between 1000 and 1500 points in total, though
fleets as small as 500 points can still be interesting. Forces
of over 3000 points will probably be too large unless plenty
of time is available.

Space does provide much more freedom of movement

than a planetary surface, so there is no reason not to use
other deployments. One likely scenario is two fleets heading for the same objective on converging courses. Players
deploy their ships along the opposing long edges of the table up to the half way mark, within 6 MU of the edge and
initial course limited to 11, 12, or 1.

To finish games faster, use the optional Striking the Colours

rules (section 10.9) and/or disallow repairs to systems (section 8.3).

Side A

Fleet composition
Battles can be made more interesting by restricting the
proportions of different ship classes as well as the overall
points total.

Side B

For patrol battles, restrict fleets to having no capitals at

all and no more than 50% of the points spent on cruisers.
Allowing small carriers is optional but not recommended.

Figure 39: Converging deployment

For larger battles, you can restrict fleets to no more than

50% of points spent on capitals, including their fighters;
or require that each capital class ship must have one or
two corresponding cruisers and escorts. Or you could decide that large fleet actions can be fought entirely by capital class ships with no requirement to have smaller ships
present. Either can be argued based on historical precedent or different science fiction settings, so feel free to experiment.

For a battle between offensive and defensive fleets, the

defending fleet deploys all its ships first anywhere within
their own half of the table. The defender can also place a
planet or similar terrain feature anywhere they desire. The
attacking ships can either enter under main drive at the opposite table edge, or (if permitted) some or all may make an
FTL entry.
Big battles

15.3

Very large battles with dozens of ships will flow more

smoothly if threshold point checks are postponed instead
of being done immediately. With one player per side, use
simultaneous fire with all threshold checks done at the
end of the turn. With more than one player per side, postpone threshold checks for any ship that is itself about to
fire or that is going to be shot at by multiple ships in succession, until they can be done while another player is firing.
A free flowing game with a minimum of waiting is more important than rigid adherence to the turn sequence.

Combat Points Value

Experience has shown that the FULL THRUST points system

does not fully reflect the advantages of increasing ship size:
one larger ship will usually defeat two ships each costing
half as much, even though the combined points of the two
sides are equal. The Combat Points Value, CPV, is a more
complex method of calculating the points value for each
ship that gives more equally matched battles when ships
of different classes are mixed together.
56

Battles and Campaigns

The simple CPV calculation changes only the basic hull

cost calculation (section 11.2). Instead of being equal to
mass, the points cost for the hull becomes
hull =

15.5

The ultimate source of interesting battles is a campaign.

This can be anything from a series of linked battles with
only the survivors from previous actions able to keep fighting, up to a full fledged space opera where each player
represents a major power and must worry about politics
and economics as well as simple combat. What all campaigns do need though is some sort of setting so the players
know who is who and what resources are available.

mass2
100

rounded off to the nearest integer.

(If the ship has mass 7 or less the CPV calculation would
give zero as the hull cost, but in FULL THRUST everything
must cost at least 1 point.)

The GZG setting, or GZGverse, is the background and

reference for FULL THRUST and companion GZG products
such as the STARGRUNT and DIRTSIDE ground combat rules.
It has been developed and expanded for well over a decade,
so there is only space for a very brief introduction here. For
more information, read the relevant sections in the FULL
THRUST 2nd edition rulebook and the two Fleet Books.

The effect of the simple CPV is that ships with mass below
100 become cheaper, over 100 more expensive. The change
to the points value can be calculated by subtracting the actual ship mass from the CPV hull value.
For example, the Suffren class light cruiser from FLEET
BOOK 1 has mass 54 and a points cost of 181. Using the
CPV calculation, the hull cost is

Please treat this background just like any of the rules: if you
like it, by all means use it if you dont, then write your own
and ignore anyone who tries to say youre doing it wrong!

542 2916
=
= 29
100
100

The GZGverse future history begins (or began) in the 1990s,

but the period covered by the rules is roughly 2160 CE (AD)
to, so far, 2194.

a reduction of 25 points for a new total points cost of 156.

On the other hand, an Excalibur class dreadnought has
mass 140 and points cost 472. Using the CPV, the hull cost
is
1402 19600
=
= 196
100
100
an increase of 56 for a new total points cost of 528.

The major technological advances are efficient space

travel and the development of a faster than light drive,
widespread use of compact and powerful energy sources,
and the early stages of artificial gravity. The GZGverse is
neither transhuman nor approaching a singularity. Human
biology has remained almost the same, while ethnic, religious, and national rivalries continue unabated or even
intensified.

The simple CPV given here is still unbalanced for some

cases. A more elaborate method of CPV calculation is online at http://fullthrust.star-ranger.com
15.4

The GZG setting

Humour

Earth remains the central planet of humanity. Surrounding

it are the inner colonies, long settled worlds divided among
the major powers. The outer worlds beyond are home to a
staggering variety of colonies, factions, and settlements.

Some players take their gaming far too seriously. FULL

THRUST is an ideal antidote to an overdose of serious gaming, and it is unusual not to have participants in laughter
after someone cracks a particularly awful sci-fi clich.

The two superpowers of the GZGverse are the New Anglian Confederation (NAC), present day Britain, Canada,
and United States; and the Eurasian Solar Union (ESU),
present day China, India, and most of Russia. The other
two major powers are the Federated States of Europe (FSE)
and New Swabian League (NSL) which between them include almost all of present day Europe. The fleets used by
these four major powers are described in FLEET BOOK 1.

There is quite a lot of good science fiction humour around

in books, television, and films from which to gain inspiration for running some really silly games. Just remember
when running this sort of game that humour is generally
more effective in small quantities a little satire can often
hit the mark much better than a pie in the face joke. If you
go too far over the top the game will degenerate into chaos,
whereas a few well-timed bits of silliness will liven up the
evening no end.

Twenty second century warfare can be so destructive that

the major powers, reluctantly, have allowed the United Nations sufficient authority to maintain an uneasy peace on
Earth and the inner colonies. Diplomatic and military
struggles for power and influence have largely shifted to
the outer worlds. The United Nations Space Command
(UNSC) and some of these outer world fleets have not yet
been published in book form, but can be found online.

If you do want the game to degenerate into chaos, it is

traditional in any humorous GZG game for sheep to be
present, if not actually the greatest threat to humanity. No
walking balls of wool, these sheep range from the merely
savage and carnivorous to the twisted unnatural flocks that
worship Primordial Horrors From Beyond Space and Time.
If you find yourself in a scenario with the mission objective being to defend Baabylon 5 against the forces of Baath
Vader, expect the worst!

Beginning in 2183 humanity met three different alien

races in quick succession. The SaVasku are ancient and
enigmatic, relying on living biological technologies. The
57

Battles and Campaigns

If you do decide to bring fleets from different settings together, it is best to require that players translate all designs
into those allowed by the standard FULL THRUST rules only.
This is contrary to advice given everywhere else in this rulebook, but the more you modify the rules to match a particular setting, the less suitable those rules become for ships
from different settings.

Phalons are similar enough to humans to be allies, enemies, or trade partners but by human standards are exasperatingly changeable and can be all three on different
days.
The third are the KraVak who are much more consistent
in their approach to humanity: consistently hostile. 2185
is the official date for the start of the Xeno War between
humanity and the KraVak. The war has seen the United
Nations become a major power itself, and the introduction
of advanced weapons and systems for a new generation of
human warships. (The older designs remain in service, especially among lesser powers.)

Restricting ships to the standard rules will upset players

who want to use the MkIX MegaCannon with the Viridian
Amplification Element as seen in episode 64, but it is by
far the easiest and also fairest method. (In the worst case,
fair in that everyone will be equally disappointed.)

Or Hey! How did the Daleks get hold of a Death Star?

The first step in converting from another setting to FULL

THRUST is to determine the role of each ship, whether escort, cruiser, or capital. This will give an initial mass range
for the design. If feints and rapid strikes are important
in battle then the drive ratings should be higher than in
settings in which the opponents plough straight into each
other like herds of dinosaurs.

FULL THRUST makes it possible for fleets from different systems, galaxies, or universes to do battle with each other.
As every TV sci-fi viewer knows, space is cluttered with
tachyon bursts, negative polarity fields, and quantum singularities that routinely push ships back and forth in time,
into parallel universes, or even other dimensions. If ships,
why not whole fleets or solar systems?

If ships grind away at each other in drawn-out firefights,

the designs should allocate more mass to defensive systems and hull and less to weapons. In other settings ships
frequently explode with the first good shot, so should be
designed with plenty of weapons and little or no protection. Most science fiction ships use beams of some sort,
but there may also be torpedo like weapons, or missiles.

The SaVasku, Phalon, and KraVak fleets are described in

FLEET BOOK 2. The current GZG history stops at 2194, with
Earth itself under threat from a massive KraVak attack.
15.6

The cross dimensional setting

You will find that FULL THRUST is flexible enough to recreate the distinctive fighting styles of different fleets even
without one for one equivalents and special rules. And its
lots of fun.

58

2010 GZG and Hugh Fisher. Permission granted to copy for personal use.

Summary of Changes

New combat rules

Construction

All weapons are now armour-piercing: half the total damage from each ship attack (rounded up) is taken on armour,
regardless of weapon type. Needle weapons and beam or
fighter re-rolls still go straight through to the hull.

If a ship has mass over 10, it must be even. Maximum mass

is 300.

Optional: attacks by ship weapons, but not fighters or missiles, into the rear arc of a ship ignore screens and armour
for penetrating damage.

Advanced FTL drives allow more precise jumps without

risk of scattering.
Advanced (three row) hulls from the UNSC BETA RULES are
included, but not five or six row hulls.

PDS fire against ships is only possible if the target has no

screens or armour.

Battleriders, non-FTL capable escorts or cruisers, can be

used in standard games provided the fleet includes motherships (tugs or tenders) to haul them around.

Damage repair rolls are low rather than high, needing less
than or equal to the number of DCPs.

Turn sequence

Fighters

Fighters move after missile launch.

Ships can now fire with normal weapons on fighter groups

not dogfighting or screening. Any weapon rolls a single D6
and kills one fighter on 6. The fighters can evade by spending a CEF.

Movement
FTL jump gates and portals are included.

FTL-capable fighters cost an extra point. They still require

a carrier, but can be deployed on table without needing to
be launched and retreat off table without re-embarking.

Halted ships (velocity zero) have no special turning ability

in Cinematic.

Heavy and torpedo fighter move is reduced to 18 MU.

Sidesteps, a port and starboard facing change in the same

turn, specified.

Kinetic weaponry fighters ignore standard screens.

Squadron movement details added.

Fighter morale is no longer recommended.

Ships making FTL entry and exit near other objects can be
damaged by the transition, but not (usually) other ships in
the vicinity.

Changes in CROSS DIMENSIONS 1.1

Cinematic turn ability changed back to half main drive
rounded down.

New systems
Fighter and missile attack phases changed back to being
before ship fire.

Grasers have been modified from the UNSC BETA RULES.

Grasers do not re-roll on a 6.

Restored point defence fire against (unprotected) ships.

The current pulse torpedo is the Class 1 torpedo. Higher

class torpedoes add 3 MU per class to the range bands but
no extra damage.

Scatterguns roll 4 PDS dice, not 3.

Added changes for FLEET BOOK 2 aliens.

Broadside fire arcs, the two port and starboard but not fore
or aft, are allowed for beams, torpedoes, and missiles.
Heavy missiles are back: now launched just like salvo missiles. (But are not interchangeable).
Multi-stage missiles are optional.
No AMT torpedoes.
Scatterguns are now standard rather than alien. A scattergun rolls as if four PDS.
Advanced screens provide all the protection of a standard
screen, and also protect against missiles, torpedoes, and
other weapons.
Shell armour is now standard rather than alien.
59

2010 GZG and Hugh Fisher. Permission granted to copy for personal use.

Quick Reference

Ship fire
Beam
D6/range 0-12 12-24
Class 1
1
Class 2
2
1
Class 3
3
2
Beam damage
Unscreened 1-3 = none
Level-1
1-4 = none
Level-2
1-4 = none

Turn Sequence
1. Write orders.
2. Roll for initiative.
3. Launch missiles.
Initiative launches last
Ship by ship
4. Move fighter groups.

6=2
6=2
6=1

Graser
Hit as for beam, 18 MU range bands
D6 DP per hit, no re-rolls

5. Move ships.

Torpedo
MU 0-6
Hit
2+

Fixed movement objects

Minelayers
Normal moves
FTL entry or exit

6-12
3+

12-18
4+

18-24
5+

D6 DP from hit
+3 MU to bands per class above 1
SMP

Secondary fighter moves.

Allocate missile and fighter attacks.
Fighters against fighters or missiles.
Point defence fire.
Missile and fighters against ships.
Ships fire.

0-6 MU 3D6, 6-12 2D6, 12-18 1D6

Damage as beam, re-roll on 6
Needle
Range 12 MU, penetrating
5 = 1 DP, 6 = 1 DP + system

Initiative shoots first

Ship by ship
Threshold checks after each

Missile
Range 24 MU, Extended 36
Salvo: D6 in salvo, D6 each
Heavy: 3D6

12. Damage control.

Repair rolls
Core System effects

Point defence
Unarmoured, unscreened targets
6 = 1 DP, no re-roll

Movement
1.
2.
3.
4.

4,5 = 1
5=1
5=1

Re-roll on 6, penetrating

Launch groups, half distance

Other groups
Initiative moves last

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

24-36
1

Point defence

Turn half, rounded down

Move half, rounded down
Remaining turn
Remaining move

PDS vs
Fighter or salvo: 4,5 = 1, 6 = 2 + re-roll
Heavy fighter: 5 = 1, 6 = 2 + re-roll
Heavy missile: 5, 6

Standard max turn is half thrust rounded down.

Beam-1 vs

T or H fighters 18 MU; F 36; others 24.

Fighter or salvo: 5 = 1, 6 = 1 + re-roll

Heavy missile: 6

Defence

Scattergun rolls four PDS dice.

Armour
Half rounded up, each layer

Fighters

Screen
vs ship

Beams, grasers, non-Torpedo fighters

Interceptor, no CEF: none

Torpedo: 4,5,6 = DP
Other as beam-1, Attack +1
Kinetic ignore standard screen

Advanced screen
Subtract 1 per level from damage die
SMP affected as if beam vs screen
Torpedo fighter -1 damage per level

vs fighter

Penetrating weapons ignore defences

Attack, Torpedo, no CEF 6 = 1

Other as PDS, Int +1

Ship fire vs fighters

vs missile

1. Announce weapons fire

2. Option to evade 1 CEF
3. 1D6 per weapon, 6 = 1

Attack, Torpedo, no CEF: none

Salvo: 5 = 1, 6 = 1 + re-roll, Int +1
Heavy: 6 = 1, Int +1

60

24-30
6

2010 GZG and Hugh Fisher. Permission granted to copy for personal use.

Introductory SSDs and counters

Frigate
X

Frigate

Frigate

Cruiser

Cruiser

2
1

2
1

B
4

Turn 1

Cruiser A V: 6
Cruiser B V: 6
Frigate X V: 6
Frigate Y V: 6
Frigate Z V: 6

61

2010 GZG and Hugh Fisher. Permission granted to copy for personal use.

1
2

10

11

12

Course and
Fire Arc gauge

6
62

2010 GZG and Hugh Fisher. Permission granted to copy for personal use.

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Capital

Cruiser

Escort

Merchant

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Capital

Cruiser

Escort

Merchant

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Capital

Cruiser

Escort

Merchant

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Bogey

Capital

Cruiser

Escort

Merchant

63

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

Mine

IMAGE: STEPHAN LUDEWIG

IMAGE: SASCHA KEUNECKE

WHAT IS
FULL THRUST LIGHT?
Full Thrust has been one of the most consistently popular
Starship Combat wargames around, ever since the rst
edition was published way back in 1991.
The rules set presented here, which we call FULL THRUST
LIGHT, is a stripped-to-the-basics version that introduces
the most important core rules of the game, and is ideal for
getting new players into the system. FULL THRUST LIGHT
uses only the simplest movement rules (for cinematic
style play) and just a couple of the most common
weapon systems. The complete version of FULL THRUST
(currently in Second Edition with add-ons, which we refer to
as FT2.5, with a Third Edition under development)
introduces much, much more loads more weapon
options, defensive systems and screens, ghter operations,
an optional vector movement system, and a complete
design-your-own-ships construction and costing system.
So, enjoy this simple free intro to the rules, then check out
our website at www.gzg.com for all the rest!
Full Thrust and Full Thrust Light are trademarks of
GZG, and all material herein is copyright J.M.Tuey and
GZG. Permission is hereby granted to duplicate and/or
distribute this document freely for non-commercial

purposes provided that a) it is copied complete and

unaltered, and b) it is not oered for sale in any way.

WHAT YOULL NEED:

It is possible to play FULL THRUST with card counters representing the starships, but for the full miniatures gaming
experience youll ideally want models. Our extensive FULL
THRUST miniatures line can provide you with everything
you need, but you can also use models from any other
manufacturers. If you are using one of our FT INTRO PACK
sets, youll have two good starter forces of 8 ships per side
ranging in size from small Frigates up to a Battlecruiser
each, which is an ideal set-up to get you into the game.
All ship models should be mounted on stands, and all distances and ranges are measured to and from the CENTRE
of the models stand.
Each player in the game will need a Ship Record Sheet lled
out for his eet, for plotting movement orders and recording damage etc. Youll also need a handful of ordinary sixsided DICE, and a tape measure or long ruler marked in your
chosen Measurement Units (see below).
Finally, youll need a at playing surface; FULL THRUST
does not require a hexagon or square grid map, just a plain
tabletop - though your playing area can be made much

more attractive by using a black cloth or board speckled

with a star-eld of paint dots.

What you need to play: Models or Markers

representing ships, record sheets, some six sided
dice, ruler or tape measure and a playing area.

SHIP RECORD SHEETS:

The Ship Record Sheets that youll nd on the reverse of
these rules are already set up for some simple generic ship
designs based on the selection of miniatures in the intro
Pack, so you can start to play almost immediately - just
photocopy one sheet per player and you are ready to go.
The two sheets each have dierent ship designs to give
you some variety, but you can use identical sheets for both
eets if you prefer. It doesnt matter what miniatures you
use with these designs, and after your rst game or two you
should feel free to modify the designs by swapping some
weapons and systems around to suit your own preferences.
Permission is hereby granted for the Ship Record Sheets to
be photocopied or printed o as desired for non-commercial purposes.
The Ship Record Sheet is divided into two parts: the Ship
Systems Displays (SSDs), one for each ship in your eet, and
the Movement Plot which is used for writing the movement
orders for each game turn.

SHIP SYSTEMS
DISPLAYS (SSD)
SSDs represent the
overall ship status
using icons for the
various ship systems.

Hull Boxes are used

as damage track.

Drive icons show

total Thrust Points
available.

Each ship uses one line on the Movement Plot for recording its movement orders; the rst (greyed-out) line on the
plot is lled in with some example orders to illustrate how
everything should be recorded.
The individual SSDs for each ship have a number of
symbols, or ICONS, that represent the various SYSTEMS
(drives, weapons etc) that the ship carries. The far right SSD
on the sheet - the greyed-out one - should not be used in
play; it is provided as a reference example to explain all the
icons.
IMPORTANT: Please note that the ship designs
given in the SSDs here are NOT full FT designs to avoid
confusion, they only show the systems that are relevant
to the introductory rules presented here.

SSDs represent the overall ship status using icons

for the various ship systems. Hull Boxes are used
as damage track. Use movement plot to record
your movement orders.

DISTANCE AND
MEASUREMENT:
All distances in FULL THRUST are given in Measurement
Units or mu; you can choose what one mu represents,
to suit the size of your playing area. The standard that we
normally use is 1mu = 1 inch, which works best if you have
a fairly large table, but if you want more action in a smaller
space then feel free to use 1mu = 1 centimetre.
Ships never block line-of-re from each other, and may freely move through/across other ships during the movement
phase; space is, after all, three dimensional even though we
choose to represent it two-dimensionally here for simplicity
of play. If there is a conict of placement between actual
miniatures at the end of the movement phase, due to the
physical size of the models, then they should be placed as
closely as possible to their intended positions. This should
be with the agreement of all players, displacing smaller
ships in preference to larger ones and maintaining courses
as the highest priority. Full Thrust Light has no provision for
collisions or deliberate ramming, but this is covered in the
full FT rules!
If a ship leaves the playing area, either deliberately or
through player error in plotting movement orders, in basic
terms it is out of the game and may NOT return. This rule
should be considered exible, however, and returning to
play MAY be allowed with the agreement of all involved
provided that this is decided at the start of the game.

leaves the playing area it may NOT

If
return for duration of game.

B
A

has LOF at

through

could also move through

the position of
if desired.

Rules refer to distances in mu; 1 mu = your favourite

unit (inch, cm). Distances and ranges are measured
to and from the CENTRE of the models stand. Ships
never block LOF and movement and there are no
collisions or ramming; Ships leaving the table may
not return to battle in the basic game.

COURSES
AND FIRE ARCS:
The direction in which a ship is moving is referred to as its
COURSE. In the simple cinematic movement system here,
ship models must always face in the direction they are moving. There are 12 possible Courses, denoted by a clockface
with a xed orientation on the playing area (ie: Course 12
should be dened as pointing directly towards one table
edge, and all courses are then dened relative to that).
Thus a ship moving directly in the 12 direction would be
on Course 12, while one traveling in the opposite direction
would be on Course 6. The clockface is also used to dene
the FIRE ARCS of a ships weapons, though the re arcs are
relative to the SHIP rather than relative to the playing area.
Ships in Full Thrust Light have 6 re arcs of 60 degrees each;
working clockwise, there is the FORE (F) arc from 11 oclock
to 1 oclock, the FORE STARBOARD (FS) arc from 1 to 3
oclock, the AFT STARBOARD (AS) arc from 3 to 5 oclock,

the AFT (A) arc from 5 to 7, AFT PORT (AP) from 7 to 9 and
nally the FORE PORT (FP) from 9 to 11 oclock.
Each weapon system icon on the SSD has a ring of 6
segments round it that correspond with the 6 re arcs
those arcs through which the weapon may be red are left

FIRE ARCS
F
FP

FS

AP

AS
A

Example of Class 2 Beam bearing through

three forward arcs (FP, F, FS).
Example of Pulse Torpedo bearing through
front arc only

IMAGE: SASCHA KEUNECKE

clear, while arcs through which it may NOT re are lled in

black. A weapon may only be red at a target that is within
a valid re arc of the ring ship during the ring phase of
the turn. Even if a ship passed through a valid arc during the
movement phase, if it is out of arc by the ring phase it may
not be attacked.

Once all players are happy that everything they need to do

in the turn is completed, the next game turn begins with
a new order plotting phase. The full version of the game
introduces a number of extra phases to the turn, but for
now the three basic ones here are all youll need.

IMPORTANT: It will be noted that all weapon icons

on the sample SSDs have the AFT (A) arc lled in, even if
they can re through all 5 other arcs; in Full Thrust Light,
NO weapon may be red out of the AFT (A) arc of any ship.
Thus the aft 60 degree arc of any ship is a weapons blind
spot, though of course incoming enemy re may hit the
ship through this arc exactly as through any other.

A game turn breaks down into Order Plottting,

Ship Movement and Weapons Fire Phases.

COURSE is the direction of movement; there are

12 possible courses indicated by a clockface
with xed orientation; Firing arcs are using a
similar clockface but relative to the ship model,
indicated by a ring of 6 arcs surrounding each
weapon icon on the SSD.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY:
The sequence for a game turn of Full Thrust Light
is as follows:

PHASE 1:
ORDER PLOTTING PHASE
PHASE 2:
SHIP MOVEMENT PHASE
PHASE 3:
SHIP WEAPONS FIRE PHASE

ORDER PLOTTING
PHASE:
In this phase of the turn, all players must write MOVEMENT
ORDERS for each of the ships in their eet. Any ship that
does not have an order written for it will continue to move
on the same course and at the same velocity as in the
previous turn. A ships movement order is usually written
in an abbreviated notation as explained below, and must
specify any change in velocity (acceleration or deceleration)
and/or change in course (to Port or Starboard, and by what
amount) that the ship is to perform in this game turn.
After any changes to velocity or course are plotted, the new
total velocity is written into the next empty V box on the
order plot, and the new course heading is written in the C
box, to show the new starting velocity and course for the
next turn.
All ships have one or more DRIVE SYSTEM icons on their
SSD, which represent their sublight drive engines. Each
drive icon has a number which shows the THRUST POINTS
that it provides; a ships total available thrust per game turn
is the total of the numbers in all of its functioning drives.
A ship that loses all its drive system(s) due to damage is no
longer able to change course OR velocity, and will continue
to travel at its current course and velocity until it exits the
playing area.

IMPORTANT: In Full Thrust Light, all ships may only

use up to HALF (rounded UP) of their total available
thrust points for changing course in any game turn, and
any thrust points thus used may NOT also be used for
acceleration or deceleration at the same time. The total
amount of thrust points applied in one game turn cannot
exceed the total thrust points available from the ships
drives.
For example, a ship with Thrust 6 drives could only apply
up to 3 of those thrust points for changing course, but
it could then use any remaining points for changing
velocity in the same game turn if desired. Thus an order
plot of +4, P2 (4mu acceleration, with a 2-point turn
to Port) would be allowed, but one of +2, P4 would
not although 6 thrust points are available in total, the
ship is not allowed to use more than 3 of them for course
changes.

Orders for ships must be written down using the

movement plot on the ships SSD. Ships without
orders continue to move on last course and
velocity; Thrust points on the SSD indicate the
maximum thrust for acceleration/deceleration
and course changes. Up to half of total available
thrust points may be used to change course.
Course plot abbreviations:
Acceleration: e.g. +4
Deceleration: e.g. -3
Port turn: e.g. P2
Starboard turn: e.g. S3
Velocity at end of movement: V
Course at end of movement: C

MOVEMENT PHASE:
In the movement phase, each player moves his ship models
in exact accordance with the orders he has just written
for them in the plotting phase. Both/all players may move
their models simultaneously if they wish, or one may move
followed by the other but as both will be following their
written orders it will not make any dierence; neither player
may modify their ordered movement in any way to react to
the others moves.

Execute movement according to written orders.

ACCELERATION
AND DECELERATION:
Once a ship is moving, it will continue to move at the same
velocity every turn unless THRUST is applied to change
that velocity. Thrust points may be used to speed the ship
up (acceleration) or slow it down (deceleration), with each
thrust point changing the ships velocity by 1mu up or
down. The use of thrust for acceleration or deceleration is
written in the order plotting as plus for acceleration thrust
or minus for deceleration, and the number of thrust points
being used for example, an order written as +2 would
be using 2 thrust points for acceleration (adding 2mu to the
speed), while -3 would be three points (3mu) of deceleration. Any velocity change is applied in the same turn that
it is plotted, so if a ship ended the previous turn at velocity
6, and has a +2 acceleration plotted for the new turn, it will
move 8mu this time. Ships must ALWAYS be moved the full
and exact distance indicated by their current velocity the
only way to slow a ship down is to apply decelerating thrust.
Ships may NOT move backwards.

Each thrust point changes ship velocity by 1 mu.

Ships must always move full distance indicated by
current velocity. Ships may not move backwards.

COURSE CLOCK

TO CHOSEN
TABLE EDGE

EXAMPLE OF A 3 POINT COURSE CHANGE

TO STARBOARD (S3)

Pivot ship 1 point

( Half of total course change, rounded down).
Move ship half of current velocity.
Pivot ship 2 points ( half of total course change,
rounded up).
Move Ship remaining half of current velocity.
Final position.

CHANGING COURSE:
Thrust points may also be used to change the course of the
ship, at a rate of 1 thrust point = 1 course point (30 degrees)
of turn. Course change orders are written in the order plotting in a similar way to velocity changes, with either a P
(for turns to Port, or anticlockwise) or an S (for Starboard,
or clockwise) followed by the number of thrust points
applied to the course change. In terms of the clockface
course references, Port turns are minus and Starboard
turns are plus eg: if a ship is currently heading on course
3, then a 2-point turn to Port (written P2) would turn the
ship onto course 1, while a 2-point turn to Starboard (S2)
would turn it to course 5. Turning the miniature through
the correct angle is a lot easier if a simple circular turn
gauge is cut from card and marked with the 12 clockface
points , but it can also be judged accurately enough from
the hexagonal base of the ships stand. Whenever a ship
changes course, the change is performed half at the START
of the ships movement for that game turn, and half at the
MID-POINT of the movement.

EXAMPLE: To explain this more fully, actual

movement of the ship miniature is performed like this:
rst the miniature is turned (pivoted on the spot) by HALF
- rounded DOWN - of the total amount of course change
plotted for that game turn. Now the miniature is moved
HALF its total velocity straight forward in the direction
it currently points. Then it is pivoted the remaining half
- rounded UP - of its total course change, and nally
moved the remaining half of its total velocity. Note that
because of the rounding down of the rst part and up of
the second part of the any course change, if the ship is
only changing course by 1 point then that will occur at the
MID-POINT of the movement, with none at the beginning.

Each thrust point turns ship by 30 degrees

(1 clockface point). Half (round down) of turn at
starting point, remaining half after moving half
its velocity.

ORDER PLOTTING EXAMPLE

SHIP ID
Example

START V START C
6

12

3.5 MU

1-point
turn

3.5 MU

TURN 4

TURN 1

V C

TURN 2

V C

TURN 3

V C

TURN 4

V C

+2

8 12

+2, P2

10 10

P1

10 9

-3, S1

7 10

5 MU

5 MU

1-point
turn

5 MU

TURN 3
2-point
turn

5 MU

TURN 2

8 MU

FIRE PHASE:
In this phase all ships that can acquire valid targets may re
any or all of their weapons.
In the basic game any given ship may re any or all of its
weapons systems, provided there is a target in range and in
the weapons ring arc; as a general rule, each weapon may
re once only in each game turn. The number of dierent
targets that any one ship may engage is determined by its
available FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS (FCS), as explained
below. Within the limitations of the FCS rules, a ships
weapons re may be divided between available targets in
any way the player desires. The re phase starts with a die
roll for INITIATIVE between the players - each rolls, and the
highest scorer has the Firing Initiative for that phase - that

TURN 1

player may select any ONE of his ships and perform ALL
desired ring from that ship against any available targets.
Once the player declares that all ring from that ship is
completed, then the opposing player may select one of his
own ships and perform all desired ring from it. Firing then
alternates between the players on a ship-by-ship basis until
all desired ring is completed. Note that because all damage is inicted immediately it is possible for a ship to be
destroyed (or to lose important weapons systems) BEFORE
it has the chance to re back in that game turn.

Roll for initiative, winner selects rst ship to re.

Resolve re from that ship and apply damage
eects to target immediately. Players alternate
ring ships until all ring is completed.

FIRE CONTROL
SYSTEMS:

BEAM WEAPONS

Each ship must have at least one functioning Fire Control

System (FCS) in order to re its weapons. Each FCS icon represents the ability to engage ONE target ship in any game
turn - for example a Frigate, with only one FCS, can only
re at one target per turn - but it may re any or all of its
weapons at that target, provided that they are within range
and ring arc. A Battlecruiser with three FCS can split its re
between UP TO THREE dierent target ships in the same
turn, dividing its available weapons in any combination
between the targets provided that they are within range
and re arc. If a ship loses all its FCS due to damage, it may
not re even if it still has operational weapons.

36 MU

24 MU

12 MU
3

Ships may engage one target for each operational

Fire Control System

FIRING BEAM
WEAPONS:

Each Beam Weapon icon on a ship represents an energy

beam projector, which is the primary weapon system used
in Full Thrust Light. The number inside the icon is the class
of the beam system, from the smallest (CLASS 1) upwards.
Each beam weapon on the ship may re once per game
turn, at one target ship, provided that it is within range

3
3

12 MU

24 MU

36 MU

FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS

Ship

has no active FC S

Ship

may split its fire between up to 3 targets.

Ship

may only fire at one target.

and may not fire.

A
C

FIRING PULSE
TORPEDOES:

EXAMPLE

12 MU
out of range

1
3

18 MU
target is in range

and re arc. At up to 12mu range, a beam weapon rolls a

number of dice equal to its CLASS; in every further 12mu
range band, this drops by one die. Thus, a CLASS 1 Beam
rolls just ONE die at up to 12 mu (its maximum range); a
CLASS 2 rolls two dice at up to 12 mu and one die out to 24
mu; a CLASS 3 rolls three dice up to 12 mu, two dice up to 24
mu and just one up to 36 mu. For each die rolled, damage
is inicted on the target as follows: Scores of 1, 2 or 3 = no
eect (a miss); 4 or 5 = 1 damage point inicted, 6 = 2 damage points inicted. All the beam weapon re from one ship
against a single target ship may be rolled together.
EXAMPLE: A Cruiser is ring at a target 18 mu away
using two Class 2 beams (1 die each at 12-24mu) plus a
single Class 3 beam (2 dice at 12-24mu), then the player
may roll the total of 4 dice at the same time. If he rolled
1, 2, 4 and 6, he would score a total of 3 points of damage
(1 point with the roll of 4, 2 points with the 6; the 1 and 2
miss). The cruiser cannot re its class 1 beams because
the target is out of range for them.

Beam Weapons roll number of dice according to

class at 12 mu, reduce by one die per additional
12 mu. Damage is 1 if score is 4 or 5; 2 if score is 6.

10

Pulse Torpedo Launchers are heavy weapons with more

punch than beam systems; they are generally tted to the
larger ship classes, though specialized smaller ships with PT
mountings (and little else) are also possible. The icon for a
PTL is similar to the beam icon but with an asterisk (*) inside
the circle in place of the beam class number. Each Pulse
Torpedo Launcher on the ship may re once per game turn,
at one target ship, provided that it is within range and re
arc. Firing a PTL is a two-step process - rst a ROLL TO HIT,
according to the range to the target: a single die is rolled
per PT red: at up to 6mu a score of 2+ is needed to hit, and
this rises by 1 for every extra 6mu of range - so at 6-12mu it
is 3+, 12-18mu 4+, 18-24mu 5+ and nally at 24-30mu a 6 is
needed. The maximum range of the Pulse Torpedo is 30mu.
If the PT hits the target, then a second die is rolled - the actual number rolled (1 to 6) is the number of damage points
inicted on the target ship.
EXAMPLE: A Battlecruiser res two PT launchers at
a target ship 20mu away. This is in the 18-24mu band,
so 5+ is needed to hit. The player rolls a 4 and a 6, so one
PT misses and one hits. Now the player rolls the damage
die for the hit, and scores 3 - the PT hit inicts 3 points of
damage to the target.

Pulse Torpedoes need to score 2 to hit at 6mu,

add 1 to needed score per additional 6 mu. If a
hit is scored, roll again, actual number rolled is
damage.

PULSE TORPEDO
6+ to hit

30 MU

5+ to hit

24 MU

4+ to hit

18 MU

3+ to hit

12 MU

2+ to hit

6 MU

Roll 1 die for

damage at all
ranges.

RECORDING DAMAGE:
Damage points inicted are applied to the target ship immediately, and are recorded by crossing o the small square
HULL BOXES on the ships SSD, starting at the top row and
working from left to right, one box per damage point. When
the accumulated damage reaches or passes the end of one
of the hull box rows, then a THRESHOLD CHECK for critical
systems damage is performed as soon as all re by that particular attacking ship against that target ship is completed.
To perform a threshold check, one die is rolled for EACH
system icon on the ship. At the FIRST threshold (rst row of
hull boxes all marked o), systems are knocked-out on rolls
of 1 only; one the SECOND threshold (second row marked
o) systems are lost on scores of 1 or 2, and at the THIRD
threshold (third row) 1, 2 or 3.
If MORE than one threshold point is passed in the attack
from a single ship (which can occur, especially with smaller
target ships), then only roll for the worst case threshold
but add 1 to the threshold number - eg: if a ship took so
much damage in one attack that both the rst and second
rows of hull boxes were lost at the same time, only the
second row threshold would be rolled for but it would be
treated as if it were a third-row check, with systems lost on
1, 2 or 3 instead of just 1 or 2. Systems knocked-out on a
threshold check are crossed o the SSD and may not function again for the rest of the game.
When a DRIVE SYSTEM icon is lost, the ship loses the use
of the thrust points provided by that drive (which may be
all or part of the ships total available thrust, according to

whether the ship has more than one drive icon or not).
When ALL of a ships Hull Boxes are marked o, then the
ship is destroyed and removed from play.
EXAMPLE: An undamaged Heavy Cruiser is hit by
enemy re, taking 6 damage points. The rst row of hull
boxes is marked o, requiring a threshold roll for each
system on the SSD. A die is rolled for each system, with
a roll of 1 resulting in destruction of that system.In our
example, a Fire Control System and a Beam Weapon are
lost.
Later in the game, the damaged cruiser takes another hit
from the enemy, this time 8 damage points. Two more hull
rows are now marked o and another threshold roll is
required. At the third threshold, systems would normally
be lost at a roll of 1, 2 or 3. As the damage passed two
thresholds in our example, 1 is added to the roll. This
means that systems will be destroyed at rolls of 1, 2, 3 or
4. Our Cruiser is badly shot up and can no longer change
course or velocity but can still re its remaining Beam
Weapons because it still has a functioning Fire Control
System.

Cross o hull boxes from left to right, top to

bottom row. Threshold roll is required if end of
row is reached. Systems are lost on roll of 1 at rst
threshold, 2 or less at second, 3 or less at third. If
multiple rows are marked o, check only for the
highest threshold but add 1 to the required roll

11

IMAGE: SASCHA KEUNECKE

ENDING THE GAME:

The game ends when one players eet is defeated.
Whether this means complete destruction of all ships, or
whether one player decides he has lost and withdraws his
surviving ships from the battle area, is up to the players
to dene. Specic scenarios are beyond the scope of this
introductory rule set, but it is always a lot more interesting

IMPRINT & DISCLAIMER

Full Thrust and Full Thrust Light are trademarks of GZG,
and all material herein is copyright J.M.Tuey and GZG.
Permission is hereby granted to duplicate and/or distribute
this document freely for non-commercial purposes
provided that a) it is copied complete and unaltered, and b)
it is not oered for sale in any way.
GROUND ZERO GAMES,
PO Box 337, Needham Market, Suolk IP6 8LN, United
Kingdom. 2008 GZG and J.M.Tuey.

12

to set some victory conditions rather than just ght to the

last ship - a simple objective like protecting or attacking a
freighter or convoy will make a very enjoyable game.

Game ends when one side is destroyed,

withdraws or victory conditions are met.

PUBLISHER:
Ground Zero Games www.gzg.com
in cooperation with
Mechworld Development Group www.mechworld.de
WRITTEN BY: Jon Tuey
EDITORIAL STAFF: Christian Weinhold, Sascha Keunecke
GRAPHICS, TYPESETTING AND LAYOUT:
Stephan Ludewig
CG ARTWORK: Sascha Keunecke, Stephan Ludewig

2
1

ID: BC1

ID: DD2

NAME

BATTLE CRUISER

NAME

DESTROYER

ID: DD1

DESTROYER

2
1

ID: FF2

FRIGATE

FRIGATE

ID: FF1
NAME

NAME

R ED FL EE T

NAME

2
2

SHIP ID START V
Example
FF1
FF2
DD1
DD2
CL1
CL2
CH1
BC1

NAME

2
2

START C

TURN 1

12

+2

NAME

TURN 2

8 12

+2, P2

10 10

TURN 3
P1

10 9

TURN 4
-3, S1

Pulse Torpedo
Launchers (2-arc)
Class 3 Beams
(3-arc)
Class 2 Beam
(5-arc)
Class 1 Beams
(5-arc)
Fire Control
Systems
Hull Boxes

ID: CH1
HEAVY CRUISER

NAME

ID: CL2
LIGHT CRUISER

LIGHT CRUISER

ID: CL1

7 10

TURN 5

7 10

Drives
(Total Thrust 6)

TURN 6

TURN 7

S3

+5, S1

12 2

TURN 8
+6

TURN 8

18 2

-3, P3

15 11

3
1

ID: BC1

ID: DD2

NAME

BATTLE CRUISER

NAME

DESTROYER

ID: DD1

DESTROYER

3
1

ID: FF2

FRIGATE

FRIGATE

ID: FF1
NAME

NAME

1
2

GRE EN F L E ET

NAME

SHIP ID START V
Example
FF1
FF2
DD1
DD2
CL1
CL2
CH1
BC1

NAME

2
2

START C

TURN 1

12

+2

2
1

TURN 2

8 12

+2, P2

10 10

TURN 3
P1

10 9

NAME

Pulse Torpedo
Launchers (2-arc)
Class 3 Beams
(3-arc)
Class 2 Beam
(5-arc)
Class 1 Beams
(5-arc)
Fire Control
Systems
Hull Boxes

ID: CH1
HEAVY CRUISER

NAME

ID: CL2
LIGHT CRUISER

LIGHT CRUISER

ID: CL1

TURN 4
-3, S1

7 10

TURN 5

7 10

Drives
(Total Thrust 6)

TURN 6

TURN 7

S3

+5, S1

12 2

TURN 8
+6

TURN 8

18 2

-3, P3

15 11